The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) in New York has canceled the planned John Galliano retrospective, titled ‘John Galliano: Horizons,’ after widespread backlash over the designer’s history of antisemitic and racist remarks. The exhibition, which was to open in spring 2027, was announced on July 31, according to Todo Alicante.

Controversy Over Past Remarks

Galliano, known for his dramatic and theatrical designs, was dismissed from Christian Dior in 2011 after making antisemitic and racist comments; those remarks led to a hate crime conviction in France. In a statement on Monday, Galliano said, ‘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.’

The Met had planned to include a section of the exhibition dedicated to the 2011 controversy, its consequences, and Galliano’s subsequent recovery from addiction; the museum stated it did not intend to conceal the episode. However, opposition to the exhibit continued to grow, with donors threatening to rescind gifts to the museum if it proceeded as planned, according to the New York Times.

Statements from Met and Galliano

Andrew Bolton, the curator in charge of The Met’s Costume Institute, said he believed in the responsibility of museums to ‘examine difficult histories with rigor, candor, and care.’ He also acknowledged the pain and concern the exhibition had caused.

Anna Wintour, chair of the Met Gala and Vogue editor-in-chief, called Galliano’s decision to withdraw from the exhibition ‘very courageous and a measure of the man he is.’ She stated, ‘I believe this is the right decision, and both he and the Museum have my full support.’

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, a senior Jewish official in city government, was among the most vocal critics of the exhibition; In a statement on Monday, she said she was pleased with the Met’s decision to ‘not honor’ Galliano at its next gala. She had previously stated that the exhibit ‘had served as a gut punch to the Jewish community, especially at this rising time of antisemitism.’

Exhibition Details and Impact

The retrospective was to feature garments, accessories, sketches, prototypes, research notebooks, and archival material spanning four decades of Galliano’s career. It would have included pieces from his graduation collection in 1984 at Central Saint Martins, ‘Les Incroyables,’ to his time at Givenchy, Dior, and Maison Margiela. The exhibition was intended to be the third monographic exhibition at the Costume Institute dedicated to a living designer, following those of Yves Saint Laurent and Rei Kawakubo.

The decision to cancel the exhibition reflects the ongoing debate over whether institutions should celebrate artists with controversial pasts — it also highlights the growing sensitivity to antisemitism, particularly in a moment when tensions are rising in the United States and globally.