The 2027 Met Gala has already hit a bump in the road following the decision to no longer honour John Galliano.
British fashion designer Galliano, 65, was due to become only the third-ever person to receive a retrospective exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, following Yves Saint Laurent and Rei Kawakubo.
His exhibit, titled John Galliano: Horizons, was announced last month, with confirmation following that the accompanying Met Gala theme would pay tribute to him, too.
However, his selection proved to be controversial due to antisemitic and racist comments he made in 2010 and 2011, which went viral and resulted in a court case.
Now, Galliano has issued a joint statement with The Met, announcing his withdrawal and expressing gratitude to Met director Max Hollein, Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton, and former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
He wrote on Instagram: ‘After much reflection and discussion with all those involved, I have 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,’ he added.
‘I do not want the debate surrounding me to place the Met in a difficult position or to distract from the remarkable work of the Costume Institute. I also recognise and respect that an exhibition honouring my work would be painful for some.’
In a statement responding to the development, Wintour said she supported the choice to ‘postpone’ the exhibit, calling Galliano ‘courageous’.
‘I believe this is the right decision, and both he and the museum have my full support,’ she said.
‘His soaring imagination, fed by a lifetime of curiosity and research, is matched by his exceptional craft. Cut, fit, the evocative line of a bias-cut dress, colour — he’s a master of it all.’
Plans for a new spring 2027 Costume Institute exhibition are yet to be announced.
Details regarding next year’s Met Gala – which takes place on the first Monday in May – are also currently unconfirmed.
The 2026 theme was Costume Art, with Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams serving as co-chairs.
Galliano is a notoriously contentious figure in the fashion world.
