Met Gala 2027 theme scrapped amid Galliano's antisemitism fallout

John Galliano pulls his retrospective from the Met after backlash over past racism.

Told by Claire Lawson · 31 August 2026

Fashion designer John Galliano has made the surprising decision to pull his retrospective from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, following a significant backlash regarding his past antisemitism and racism. Galliano was set to be honored from May 9, 2027, to January 9, 2028, making him only the third living designer to receive this accolade.

In a heartfelt social media statement, he expressed, "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." He acknowledged that true atonement cannot be achieved through mere exhibitions or recognition but requires ongoing commitment to listening and learning.

Galliano's past is marred by a conviction for a hate crime in 2011, where he hurled anti-Jewish insults at a couple in France, and similar behavior was reported in another incident. His struggles with addiction were cited as contributing factors during his trial. Despite his attempts at rehabilitation, the specter of his past actions looms large.

He stated, "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." While the Met has yet to announce a replacement theme for next year's gala, it's reported that the event may face postponement as the museum reevaluates its direction.