Met Gala’s 2027 John Galliano theme cancelled after backlash

An exhibition honouring the work of fashion designer John Galliano at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art has been cancelled following a backlash about the designer’s controversial comments in the past. The exhibition, called John Galliano: Horizons, was announced earlier this month and was set to have been kicked off by the annual Met Gala next spring. It comes after Galliano was convicted of a hate crime by a French court in 2011 after a series of racist and antisemitic remarks. In a statement posted on Instagram today (August 31), the designer wrote: “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 added: “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. “I understand that meaningful atonement is not achieved through an exhibition, institutional recognition or a single public gesture. It is a continuing responsibility, demonstrated through listening, learning and one’s conduct over time.” Galliano went on to say that he did not want “t...