John Galliano Cancels Met Exhibition After Backlash Over Remarks

Fashion designer John Galliano has canceled an upcoming exhibition celebrating his work at the Met Museum following criticism over past antisemitic remarks.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced Monday that the planned exhibition and gala would not proceed. Galliano was found guilty by a French court in 2011 for making antisemitic and racist remarks at a Parisian bar, leading to his dismissal as creative director of Dior that same year after a video surfaced of him expressing admiration for Hitler.

Galliano issued a statement on Instagram Aug. 31, expressing sadness and accountability for the pain caused by his past words, particularly to the Jewish and Asian communities. He stated that meaningful atonement is a continuing responsibility demonstrated through conduct over time, not an exhibition or institutional recognition. He added that he did not want the debate surrounding him to place the Met in a difficult position or distract from the Costume Institute's work, recognizing that an exhibition honoring his work would be painful for some.

Max Hollein, director and CEO of the museum, stated that the decision was made after thoughtful discussions with Galliano. The Associated Press reported that the exhibit will be replaced by another show to be announced later. New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, whose grandparents were Holocaust survivors, had previously expressed strong disagreement with the Met's decision to honor Galliano, calling it unacceptable and a gut punch to the Jewish community.

Menin stated that the Met's position was that they could contextualize the remarks, but her issue was with the decision to honor and celebrate him. She initiated outreach to Jewish advocacy groups, Costume Institute leaders, and Vogue's leadership team, including meeting with Anna Wintour.