Met Museum and John Galliano Call Off Retrospective Amid Backlash
The Metropolitan Museum of Art and fashion designer John Galliano announced on Monday that his highly anticipated retrospective, "John Galliano: Horizons," would not proceed. The decision came weeks after the museum unveiled plans for the exhibition, which was scheduled to open in May 2027 and would have examined Galliano's four-decade career, including his work at Givenchy, Christian Dior, and Maison Margiela.
Met Director and CEO Max Hollein said in a statement, "Following thoughtful discussions with John Galliano, we have together decided not to proceed with the exhibition." The museum and Galliano jointly announced the cancellation, which followed renewed scrutiny of Galliano's 2011 conviction in France over antisemitic and racist remarks.
In a statement posted to Instagram, Galliano said, "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." He expressed "profound and enduring" gratitude to the museum's leadership and acknowledged the pain caused by his past words. "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.
Galliano also explained his reasoning: "I do not want the debate surrounding me to place the Met in a difficult position or distract from the remarkable work of the Costume Institute." He said he recognized and respected that an exhibition honouring his work would be painful for some.
Background and Backlash
Galliano was dismissed as Dior's creative director in 2011 after videos emerged of him making antisemitic and racist remarks at a Paris bar. A French court later found him guilty of making public insults on the basis of race and religion.
The announcement of the retrospective had drawn widespread criticism from Jewish leaders, museum donors, and New York politicians. According to a report cited by The Times of India, a number of donors, politicians, and Jewish leaders in New York City and beyond had raised objections, with some donors reportedly threatening to withdraw their financial support if the exhibition went ahead.
New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, whose mother survived the Holocaust, repeatedly asked the museum to reconsider. She said the decision to honour Galliano amid rising antisemitism was a "gut punch to the Jewish community." Alice Tisch, a major Met donor, called the proposed exhibition a "whitewash" and "a failure of governance."
Criticism also centred on the timing. The Met Gala was scheduled for 3 May 2027, the same day as Yom HaShoah, Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Menin welcomed the reversal, saying, "This is the correct decision, as the harm and pain this was causing was simply unacceptable." In a social media post, she added, "Museums such as The Met must be held to a high standard of inclusiveness and tolerance, and I am pleased that they have listened to the concerns I have raised and reacted with the right decision." She also noted, "This decision was personal to me, and the Jewish community and I felt a strong obligation to speak out."
Reactions from the Fashion World
The cancellation sparked strong reactions online, with several voices from the fashion community coming out in support of Galliano and his creative legacy. In the comments section of Galliano's Instagram post, Kalyani Saha Chawla wrote, "Such a shame!!! Everyone deserves a second chance. He more than paid for his mistake." Some described the decision as "heartbreaking" and criticised what they see as a growing culture of cancellation.
Met trustee Anna Wintour called Galliano's withdrawal "very courageous" and said, "John's decision to postpone the exhibition is a measure of the man he is. This is the right decision, and both he and the Museum have my full support." In a separate comment cited by The Times of India, Wintour defended the decision in Vogue, writing, "There is no one more deserving of an exhibition of this scale than John Galliano," and added that his career "isn't defined by a moment."
Andrew Bolton, curator at the Costume Institute, said, "I believe deeply in the responsibility of museums to examine difficult histories with rigor, candor, and care."
What's Next
The Met said details about a new spring Costume Institute exhibition and the 2027 Met Gala would be announced at a later date. Galliano is set to launch his first collection under a two-year partnership with Zara, with a launch event scheduled for September 30 during Paris Fashion Week.