Photo: Imaxtree

1. The John Galliano scandal:
When reports arose in February that John Galliano went on an anti-Semitic rant at a bar in Paris—and later, when video evidence of the designer saying “I love Hitler” surfaced on the Internet—we’re not sure that anyone knew how profound an effect his actions would have on the industry as a whole. Galliano was immediately suspended, and subsequently fired, from his 14-year post at Christian Dior, and was later let go from his eponymous label as well. This launched a vicious cycle of rumors regarding his replacement, and no big name has been left unconsidered, from Marc Jacobs to Riccardo Tisci to Alexander Wang. One of the most surprising aspects of this story is that over a dozen designers have reportedly been offered Galliano’s job, yet no one has accepted it. The fate of Dior still hangs in the balance, but hopefully this will be one of the first conundrums solved in 2012.