Met Museum Cancels John Galliano Exhibition Following Backlash

The Metropolitan Museum of Art and designer John Galliano have mutually agreed to cancel the planned 'John Galliano: Horizons' exhibition, which was scheduled to open in May 2027 alongside the Met Gala.

The decision, announced Monday, follows weeks of backlash over Galliano's history of antisemitic remarks and a 2011 hate crime conviction in France.

The Met said in a statement that the 'Spring 2027 exhibition devoted to his four-decade oeuvre will not proceed as planned.'

In a statement shared by the museum, Galliano said he decided 'with great sadness, that it is best for the exhibition not to take place at this time.'

“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. 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.”

: John Galliano, in a statement released by The Met

Galliano was fired from his role as creative director of Christian Dior in 2011 after he was filmed making antisemitic statements in a Paris bar, and he was later convicted of hate crimes by a French court.

The exhibition was to be held at The Met's Costume Institute and would have made Galliano only the third living designer to receive a solo show there.

Anna Wintour, who chairs the Met Gala and is chief content officer at Condé Nast, said in a statement that she supports the decision.

“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. I believe this is the right decision, and both he and the Museum have my full support.”

: Anna Wintour, in a statement

Andrew Bolton, curator in charge of the Costume Institute, said he believes 'deeply in the responsibility of museums to examine difficult histories with rigor, candor, and care' and also recognized 'the pain and concern this exhibition has caused.'

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who had publicly urged the museum to reconsider, said she was pleased with the decision.

“From the beginning, I have told them that I strongly disagreed with this decision, and at this rising time of antisemitism, it had served as a gut punch to the Jewish community. This is the correct decision, as the harm and pain this was causing was simply unacceptable.”

: New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, in a statement

The mayor's office also issued a statement saying Galliano's 'repeated use of antisemitic language is vile,' while noting that The Met is an independent institution.

The museum said a new spring Costume Institute exhibition and details on the 2027 Met Gala will be announced at a later date.