The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has cancelled an exhibition dedicated to British designer John Galliano, which was scheduled to be the theme of the Met Gala in 2027. The decision was announced on August 31 via a statement published on the museum’s website.
In his statement, Galliano wrote: “After much thought and discussion with the Metropolitan Museum of Art and all those involved, I have decided with great sadness that it is better not to hold the exhibition at the present time. I continue to take full responsibility for the pain caused by my words in the past, especially for the pain I have caused the Jewish and Asian communities, and I deeply regret it.”
Galliano also noted he did not want to place the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a difficult position or distract attention from the work of the Costume Institute due to the controversy surrounding his figure.
Andrew Bolton, curator of the Costume Institute, acknowledged concerns raised by the exhibition announcement and supported the decision to cancel it. Anna Wintour, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, described Galliano’s decision as “very brave.”
The exhibition, titled “John Galliano: Horizons,” was announced in early August with plans to address how artistic achievements should be evaluated alongside ethical responsibility. However, its announcement sparked sharp criticism from critics outside the fashion industry.
The cancellation follows public discontent over the museum’s and Wintour’s intended honor of Galliano ahead of the 2027 Met Gala, which would have coincided with Yom Hashoah—the Holocaust Memorial Day. Critics also referenced Galliano’s 2011 scandal when he was fired from Dior for making anti-Semitic remarks in a Paris café that included confessions of sympathizing with Hitler.
