MOSCOW, February 5 - RAPSI. Wrongful termination proceedings have begun between disgraced fashion designer John Galliano and the House of Dior at Paris' Labor Relations Court (Conseil de prud'hommes), according to reports by France's TF1.

Galliano's lawyer Chantal Giraud-van Gaver said that the 52-year-old designer is seeking compensation for being dismissed from the post of Dior's creative director without a serious or real cause.

Dior claims to have fired John Galliano for having madeanti-Semitic remarks to a couple in La Perle cafe in the Marais, Paris, in 2011.

Ms. Giraud-van Gaver said that Dior had no right to fire Galliano, because he made the offending statements while under the influence of alcohol and drugs prescribed to him by a doctor. Thus in her view, the firing was based on health issues - in violation of French law.

On the first day of the hearing, Dior's lawyer questioned the court's competence to hear this case, also arguing that Galliano was not Dior's permanent employee with a fixed salary.

The court dismissed this argument concerning the court's competence. This ruling can be contested at the court of appeals within 15 days.

Galliano's lawyer said that the designer's lawsuit would not be heard before October or November 2013.

After Galliano was fired, a video was posted on the Internet of another incident in La Perle cafe, where Galliano can be seen to make positive remarks about Hitler. In light of this and the original video footage, a French court ordered Galliano to pay fines totaling 6,000 euro ($7,500) over the incidents. The fines were suspended pending any future violations.

In August 2012, French President Francois Holland stripped the designer of France's highest award, Legion d'Honneur, which was awarded to him in January 2009.