The Metropolitan Museum of Art is scrapping its scheduled exhibition honoring British fashion designer John Galliano following widespread criticism from the Jewish community and beyond due to Galliano’s history of making antisemitic and racist remarks.
In a statement released on Monday, the New York museum announced the cancellation of the exhibit, originally slated to be the centerpiece of the May 2027 spring Costume Institute show that kicks off the annual Met Gala. The museum stated that a different exhibition will be presented in its place, with details to be revealed later.
Max Hollein, the museum’s director and CEO, disclosed, “Following deliberations with John Galliano, it has been mutually agreed not to proceed with the exhibition.” Galliano also expressed remorse in the statement, acknowledging, “After careful consideration and consultations with The Met and all stakeholders, I have concluded, with deep regret, that it is best to forego the exhibition at this time. I take full responsibility for the pain caused by my past words, especially the harm inflicted on the Jewish and Asian communities, and I offer my sincere apologies.”
Galliano, renowned for his avant-garde designs, notably served as creative director of Christian Dior for a significant period until his dismissal amid a public backlash over a series of racist and antisemitic comments made in 2010 and 2011. Following his departure from Dior, Galliano underwent efforts to rehabilitate his image before returning to the fashion scene in 2014 as the creative head of Maison Margiela.
The planned solo exhibition at the Met’s Costume Institute would have made Galliano only the third living designer to be featured in such a capacity. The Met Gala, which marks the beginning of the spring season and is a prominent event in the fashion industry, is overseen by Anna Wintour, the global editorial director of Vogue and a key figure in the fashion world known for her support of Galliano.
Before announcing the exhibition, the museum engaged in discussions with leaders from the Jewish community in an attempt to preempt potential backlash. However, the decision faced heightened criticism, with New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin emerging as a vocal opponent of the exhibit. Menin welcomed the cancellation, emphasizing, “After extensive discussions with The Met, I am pleased that they have opted not to celebrate John Galliano. I had consistently expressed my strong disapproval of this choice, particularly amidst rising antisemitism, as it deeply affected the Jewish community. This decision is appropriate, as the distress and harm caused were simply intolerable.”