John Galliano withdraws from Met exhibition after antisemitism criticism

John Galliano has withdrawn from the exhibition the Metropolitan Museum of Art planned to dedicate to his work for the 2027 Met Gala, after opposition from Jewish leaders and museum donors.

Galliano said he made the decision after extended reflection and conversations with the museum and other people involved. “With great sadness, I have decided that it is best that the exhibition not take place at this time,” he wrote in a statement posted on Instagram.

“

With great sadness, I have decided that it is best that the exhibition not take place at this time

The designer acknowledged the harm caused by his past words and said he did not want the debate over his record to put the Met in a difficult position or distract from the work of its Costume Institute. “I recognize and respect that an exhibition honoring my work is painful for some,” he said.

“

I recognize and respect that an exhibition honoring my work is painful for some

The museum confirmed the cancellation and said it would announce details of another exhibition for the next Met Gala. The decision followed criticism from New York’s Jewish community, including gallerist Arne Glimcher, who threatened to remove the museum from his will, and Elisha Wiesel, president of the Elie Wiesel Foundation.

New York City Council President Julie Menin also criticized the planned tribute, calling it “a punch in the gut” for the city’s Jewish community. Menin, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and the council’s first Jewish president, said museums such as the Met should maintain “a high standard of inclusion and tolerance.”

“

a punch in the gut

Galliano was convicted in France in 2011 over antisemitic expressions after a court found that he had insulted Jewish and Asian people during two incidents at a Paris bar. The controversy led to his dismissal as Dior’s creative director after 15 years. He later underwent rehabilitation for addiction problems and returned to high fashion in 2014 as creative director of Maison Margiela, a position he held for a decade.

“

a high standard of inclusion and tolerance