John Galliano has withdrawn from the Met Gala tribute that was planned in his honor, and the accompanying exhibition has been called off following backlash over his past antisemitic remarks. The decision was announced Monday by both Galliano and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Galliano said in an Instagram post that after reflection and discussions, he felt it was best for the exhibition not to take place at this time. Met CEO Max Hollein confirmed the museum and Galliano had jointly agreed to drop the show.
The exhibition, titled John Galliano: Horizons, was scheduled for May 3 and overseen by Anna Wintour, Vogue's global editorial director and a Met trustee. But criticism of honoring a designer convicted of a hate crime in 2011 led organizers to scrap the plans. Galliano was fired from Dior that year after video showed him making antisemitic remarks in a Paris bar. A court later found him guilty of public insults based on religion, race and ethnicity, and he received a suspended fine and was ordered to pay damages.
In his statement, Galliano said he remains accountable for the pain his words caused, particularly to Jewish and Asian communities, and added that meaningful atonement is a continuing responsibility. Wintour called his decision courageous and said she supported it. Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton also backed the move, citing the museum's duty to examine difficult histories with care. The Met will announce a new spring exhibition and details for the 2027 gala later. Galliano would have been only the third living designer to receive a solo Met show, after Yves Saint Laurent and Rei Kawakubo.
Originally reported by The Hollywood Reporter