The fashion designer John Galliano has agreed to cancel a planned exhibition of his work that was to kick off New York’s fabled Met Gala in 2027, following criticism from donors and political leaders over his past antisemitic remarks.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the British designer jointly announced on Monday that they had decided not to proceed with ‘John Galliano: Horizons’, the Costume Institute’s planned spring 2027 exhibition.
The retrospective was set to explore more than four decades of Galliano’s career, from his 1984 Central Saint Martins graduate collection to his work at Givenchy, Dior and Maison Margiela.
Galliano does not currently hold a title at any luxury fashion house, but is collaborating in a two-year creative partnership with the fast-fashion brand Zara.
The exhibition planned for 2027 would have been only the third Costume Institute retrospective dedicated to a living designer.
The announcement of the exhibition on July 31 was met with mixed reaction from fans and critics in the fashion world.
Galliano certainly has magical creativity when it comes to his designs, but the concerns about his part behaviour have haunted him in recent years. (Story continues below)
Galliano, who was dismissed from Dior in 2011 after making antisemitic and racist remarks during an altercation at a cafe in Paris, said he remained accountable for the harm caused by his past behaviour.
‘After much reflection and discussion with The Met and all those involved, I have decided, with great sadness, that it is best for the exhibition not to take place at this time,’ he said in a statement on Monday.
‘I remain fully accountable for the pain caused by my words in the past, particularly the hurt I caused to the Jewish and Asian communities, and I remain deeply sorry for it.’
Galliano also said he did not want the controversy surrounding him to overshadow the Costume Institute.
He referenced the rehabilitation that followed his 2011 conviction by a court in Paris, noting his ‘deepest gratitude to all those who have guided, supported and accompanied me throughout these fifteen years of sobriety and recovery from alcoholism and addiction.’ (Story continues below)
Anna Wintour, a longtime supporter of Galliano and the lead chairperson of the Met Gala, backed the decision while continuing to praise his creative legacy.
‘John’s decision to ask the Museum to postpone the exhibition devoted to his work is very courageous and a measure of the man he is,’ Wintour said. ‘I believe this is the right decision, and both he and the Museum have my full support.’
The cancellation comes as Galliano’s legacy remains divided between his extraordinary influence on modern fashion and the lasting consequences of his 2011 remarks.
The Met is expected to announce further details about its spring 2027 Costume Institute exhibition and the Met Gala at a later date.
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the nonprofit Anti-Defamation League, said on X that showcasing Galliano’s work was ‘the wrong move at the wrong moment’.
‘With antisemitism at crisis levels, the Met honouring John Galliano at this moment was misguided, and even Galliano ultimately recognised what the Met should have done from the start,’ Greenblatt said.