The Metropolitan Museum of Art and John Galliano announced this morning that the planned Spring 2027 exhibition dedicated to his four-decade career will no longer go ahead as scheduled.

The show was set to feature garments, accessories, sketches, toiles, research books, and archival materials spanning Galliano’s entire career—from his 1984 “Les Incroyables” graduate collection at Central Saint Martins, to his work at Paris couture houses Givenchy and Dior, and finally his spectacular last show for Maison Margiela. It would have been only the third retrospective of a living designer at the Costume Institute, following Yves Saint Laurent in 1983 and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons in 2017.

When the exhibition was announced on July 31, 2026, reactions were mixed. Few designers’ work is as widely admired as Galliano’s, so there was great excitement within the fashion community. However, local political and civic leaders raised concerns.

John Galliano said: “I am deeply grateful to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and especially to Max Hollein, Andrew Bolton, and Anna Wintour, for the extraordinary honor of proposing an exhibition devoted to my work. Having my creative journey considered by an institution I have admired all my life moved me more than I can say. I will always be thankful for the confidence, care, and scholarship that Max, Andrew, Anna, and the entire Met team brought to this project.”

He continued: “After much reflection and discussion with The Met and everyone involved, I have decided, with great sadness, that it is best for the exhibition not to take place at this time. I remain fully accountable for the pain caused by my words in the past, especially the hurt I caused to the Jewish and Asian communities, and I remain deeply sorry for it. I understand that true atonement is not achieved through an exhibition, institutional recognition, or a single public gesture. It is an ongoing responsibility, shown through listening, learning, and how one behaves over time.”

“I do not want the debate surrounding me to put The Met in a difficult position or to distract from the remarkable work of the Costume Institute,” he added. “I also recognize and respect that an exhibition honoring my work would be painful for some. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to all those who have guided, supported, and accompanied me throughout these fifteen years of sobriety and recovery from alcoholism and addiction. Your wisdom, patience, and humanity have helped me more than I can ever properly express. I remain deeply indebted to you for giving me, as you promised, a life better than I could ever have imagined. My gratitude to The Met, Max, Andrew, and Anna remains profound and lasting. Their generosity, humanity, and belief in fashion as art, culture, and history, as well as their understanding of human fragility and the possibility of growth, will stay with me always.”

Max Hollein, Director and CEO of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, said: “Following thoughtful discussions with John Galliano, we have together decided not to proceed with the exhibition.”

In a statement, Anna Wintour said: “John’s decision to ask the Museum to postpone the exhibition devoted to his work is very courageous and a measure of the man he is. I believe this is the right decision, and both he and the Museum have my full support. His soaring imagination, fed by a lifetime of curiosity and research, is matched by his exceptional craft. Cut, fit, the evocative line of a bias-cut dress, color—he’s a master of it all. Without one or the other, if his technique weren’t equal to his storytelling talents, he wouldn’t be the leading couturier of his generation. But he most certainly is. From the staged-on-a-shoestring feat that was his Fall 1994 show at the Sao Schlumberger Hotel Particulier in Paris to his tour de force swansong at Maison Margiela Artisanal for Sp…”In spring 2024, Galliano delivered some of fashion’s most spectacular shows. Just as Christian Dior once called Cristobal Balenciaga “the master of us all,” a generation of designers now looks up to Galliano as the greatest. His influence spans across generations, especially with Dior’s current creative director Jonathan Anderson, who names Galliano as one of his heroes.

Details about a new Spring Costume Institute exhibition and the 2027 Met Gala will be announced at a later date.

Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the cancellation of the John Galliano Horizons exhibition at the Met

General Questions

1 I heard the John Galliano exhibit at the Met was canceled Is that true
Yes The Costume Institutes spring 2027 exhibition John Galliano Horizons will no longer proceed as originally planned

2 Why was the exhibition canceled
The official statement from the Met cited concerns over the complexities of the subject matter and the current cultural climate specifically referencing Gallianos past antisemitic behavior and subsequent rehabilitation They decided that moving forward with the exhibition was not the right path at this time

3 When was this exhibition supposed to happen
It was scheduled to open in spring 2027 with the famous Met Gala themed around it

4 Has the Met announced a replacement exhibition
Not yet The museum has stated they will announce a new theme for the spring 2027 Costume Institute show at a later date

5 Is this the first time the Met has canceled an exhibition
No but it is highly unusual for a major Costume Institute show Exhibitions are sometimes postponed or reworked but a full cancellation of a headline event this far in advance is rare

Details and Background

6 Who is John Galliano
John Galliano is a British fashion designer who was the creative director of Givenchy and then Dior He is considered one of the most brilliant and influential designers of his generation known for his theatrical and historically inspired collections He was fired from Dior in 2011 after a video surfaced of him making antisemitic and racist remarks

7 What was the Horizons exhibition supposed to be about
The show was intended to trace Gallianos career from his early days at Central Saint Martins through his time at Dior and his current role at Maison Margiela It was meant to be a comprehensive retrospective of his work and influence on fashion

8 Did Gallianos past have anything to do with the cancellation
Yes The Met acknowledged that the decision was influenced by the ongoing debate and sensitivity surrounding Gallianos history While he has publicly apologized and worked to rebuild his career the museum felt the tensions were too significant to ignore