The Metropolitan Museum of Art will not proceed with its planned exhibition on fashion designer John Galliano, the museum announced Monday. The show, titled “John Galliano: Horizons,” had been scheduled to open in May 2027 and coincide with that year’s Met Gala. Its cancellation comes after significant public backlash following the July announcement — centred on Galliano’s 2011 conviction for antisemitic behaviour by a French court.
The Met said the decision was made jointly with Galliano. In a statement released through the museum, the designer said he had concluded “with great sadness” that it was best for the exhibition not to proceed.
“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 said. “I understand that meaningful atonement is not achieved through an exhibition, institutional recognition or a single public gesture. It is a continuing responsibility, demonstrated through listening, learning and one’s conduct over time.”
Galliano also said he did not want the debate surrounding him to “place The Met in a difficult position or to distract from the remarkable work of the Costume Institute,” and acknowledged that “an exhibition honoring my work would be painful for some.”
The Background
Galliano was one of fashion’s most celebrated designers before his career collapsed in 2011. He was fired as creative director of Christian Dior following the emergence of videos showing him making antisemitic remarks in a Paris bar. A French court later found him guilty of antisemitic behaviour the same year. He had previously served as head designer at Givenchy and had been named international designer of the year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
After several years away from the industry, Galliano spent a decade as artistic director of Maison Margiela before leaving that role in 2024. The announcement of the Met exhibition in late July had been intended as a serious critical reassessment of his creative legacy. The backlash that followed made that reassessment effectively impossible in the near term.
Anna Wintour, Condé Nast chief content officer and long-time chair of the Met Gala, endorsed the cancellation. “John’s decision that the exhibition devoted to his work should not take place at this time is very courageous and a measure of the man he is,” she said. “I believe this is the right decision, and both he and the Museum have my full support.”
The Met said it will announce a new spring Costume Institute exhibition and details of the 2027 Met Gala at a later date.
Stay informed. Subscribe to the JournalTodays Newsletter for the latest fashion news, Met Gala coverage, and entertainment updates delivered straight to your inbox.
