fashion week (illustrative)
fashion week (illustrative)Reuters

Disgraced fashion designer John Galliano, who has kept a low profile since his 2011 conviction in France over an anti-Semitic tirade, has been invited to give classes at a top New York school.

The incident occurred during a confrontation between Galliano and a man and woman at the La Perle restaurant in Paris. During the fight he told the woman, “Dirty Jew, you should be dead.” The incident led to a police investigation. A  video in which Galliano is shown telling two women, “I love Hitler” surfaced after the incident.

The Parsons School of Design in Manhattan said Wednesday that the British couturier, whose legal problems led to his dismissal from Christian Dior, will speak about the challenges of leading a fashion house in the 21st century, the AFP news agency reported.

The three-day master class given by Galliano in the coming weeks would provide a "dynamic and intimate opportunity for our students to learn from an immensely talented designer," the school said in a statement.

"We believe that over the past two years, Mr Galliano has demonstrated a serious intent to make amends for his past actions."

The 52-year-old Galliano, who spent nearly 15 years at Dior, is widely considered to be one of the most brilliant fashion minds of his generation.

He blamed the anti-Semitic outburst on drinking and drug problems and went into rehab for two months.

More recently Galliano again created buzz when  The New York Post published a photo of Galliano in what appeared to be a very trendy version of hassidic Jewish garb, suggesting the designer was trying to insult Jews.

Others, however, quickly interpreted the get-up as his way of paying homage, and the Anti-Defamation League, whose mandate is to be on the look-out for anti-Semitism, declared the story entirely concocted.