New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art on Thursday announced a new theme for the exhibition accompanying its prestigious annual Met Gala, after scrapping a planned retrospective of British designer John Galliano amid controversy over his past anti-Semitic remarks.
The exhibition was initially planned as a retrospective of Galliano, but the designer and the museum announced in late August that it would not go ahead, following criticism from donors and political figures over the fashion designer’s past comments. After a period of rehabilitation and personal work, he found a new home at the discreet but influential fashion house Maison Margiela. The Met’s annual Costume Institute exhibition is largely funded by its star-studded gala, which draws leading figures from fashion and entertainment.
In March 2026, he announced a two-year artistic partnership with Spanish fashion retailer Zara. The 2027 edition of the event is scheduled for May 3.
“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,” Galliano, 65, wrote on Instagram then.
