IN the past few weeks the fashion world has been knocked sideways by the upheaval in the House of Dior, due to the sacking of its famed designer, John Galliano.

The British designer was dismissed from the couture giant in the wake of his anti-Semitic rants.

Controversy is nothing new in the world of fashion. Over the years, designers, models, photographers and fashion campaigns have been marred by scandal, rumours and career-wrecking headlines.

Some survived unscathed, while others never recovered. Here’s a list of just some of the most famous headline-makers and scandals in the fashion industry.

Terry Richardson

Very recently, this famed fashion photographer from New York was all over the news for his Rolling Stone cover picture of two up-and-coming Hollywood starlets suggestively licking ice-cream cones and posing in embraces a little too close for comfort.

The controversial cover

While some degree of sexual innuendo is tolerated in most fashion shoots, what Richardson did with Gossip Girl stars Blake Lively and Leighton Meester set parents’ tongues a-wagging and writers’ pens furiously to paper. The uproar came about mainly because the show’s fans are made up of impressionable teenage girls.

Richardson, who is mostly known for shooting high-art pictures of celebrities, also produced the sexy pictures of Glee stars Dianna Agron, Lea Michele and Cory Monteith for GQ magazine, which created a whole lot of negative buzz.

The picture for Rolling Stone magazine was one thing, but several models have come forward with reports that Richardson likes to “gets naked” during photoshoots, encouraging them to touch him in sexual ways. Of course, he has denied all these allegations.

Naomi Campbell

British supermodel Naomi Campbell has made numerous headlines over the years for possibly having the shortest temper among all models.

Having beaten one assistant, thrown phones at others, and even assaulted a police officer – Campbell has quite a colourful history of outbursts. Italian actress Yvonne Scio has allegedly said that Campbell left her “covered in blood” after the model punched her in the face (rumour has it, the two showed up for an event wearing the same dress!).

Naomi Campbell giving evidence at the war crimes trial of former Liberian ruler Charles Taylor.

In addition to all this, Campbell also made the headlines last year when actress Mia Farrow claimed that Campbell was given a gift of blood diamonds by ex-Liberian ruler Charles Taylor at a dinner party more than a decade ago.

Celebrities are under constant pressure to be aware of global issues, but it appeared that Campbell was either oblivious to conflict-ridden diamond mines, or just plain indifferent. (Psst… Natalie Portman’s diamond ring came from a conflict-free mine. Just sayin’.)

Kate Moss

The woman who once said “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” is no stranger to controversy. After a worldwide expose on her cocaine-snorting several years ago, she was dropped by H&M, Chanel and Burberry.

Moss and McQueen

Her career appeared to be heading down the drain. However, fashion powerhouse Christian Dior held on to her, while the late designer Alexander McQueen pledged support for the gap-toothed blondie, who was one of the original “waifs” in the supermodelling world. Moss’ career has since recovered and she’s more popular than ever now.

Topless teen ‘models’

How can anyone justify putting girls under the age of 18 (in any country or culture – yes, this issue has gone global) in sexy poses, without much clothes on? Usually, the reason given is “it’s all in the name of art”. Sure, but aren’t they just teenagers?

Somehow, this problem, too, has slipped under the radar as many photographers, fashion houses, designers and even parents have turned a blind eye to the issue.

Miley Cyrus has the press buzzing with her controversial ways (and clothing)

Popstar Miley Cyrus isn’t the only teen to have drawn attention to the issue with her controversial Vanity Fair photoshoot with Annie Leibovitz (at age 15). In New Zealand, 16-year-old Zippora Seven posed topless with another model, while Mick Jagger’s daughter Georgia, 17, took her shirt off for a Hudson jeans advertising campaign shoot.

Their parents? They’re cool with it.

American Apparel

Where do we start? Non-unionised staff, underpaid employees, illegal immigrant employees, sexual harassment lawsuits, holding meetings in the nude, which ones are rumours and which ones are true? It hardly matters when all anyone cares about is the buzz.

A few weeks ago, former American Apparel employee Irene Morales, 20, filed a suit and claimed US$260mil (RM780mil) in damages for alleged sexual harassment and forced sex by the company’s CEO Dov Charney. The company later issued a statement saying that Morales had earlier signed a document which allowed American Apparel to resolve any issues via confidential arbirtration; therefore a trial may not be held.A hearing has been set for next week to determine whether the case will go to trial.

From the company’s provocative advertising, to being sued by Woody Allen for using an image from one of his films without permission, to a controversial hiring policy (apparently they won’t hire “unattractive” employees), the er, fun never stops at this fashion brand that promotes “sweatshop-free” products.

Thankfully for them, neither does the buying – it’s business, as usual.