Met Gala faces outrage for honoring British designer John Galliano — here’s why
With the 2027 Met Gala months away, the controversy dogging John Galliano is hard to ignore — and it’s not going anywhere.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute is planning a nine-month exhibition centered on John Galliano—a career-spanning look at his work from Christian Dior to Maison Margiela. As word of the show spread, backlash over the choice of honoree erupted, and museum insiders are now weighing whether to push next year’s Met Gala off its traditional first Monday in May so it won’t fall on Yom HaShoah (Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day).
Why the backlash
The uproar traces back to 2011, when Galliano was accused of making antisemitic remarks in Paris. Soon after, The Sun published a video in which he was heard saying,
“I love Hitler.”
He was fired as Dior’s creative director after 15 years. Galliano later apologized, attributed his behavior to addiction, and in the 2023 documentary High & Low — John Galliano called his own comments “foul.”
The controversy has flared more than once since. In 2019, socialite Julie Macklowe alleged he made antisemitic remarks; his spokesperson denied the claim at the time, according to The Times. Meanwhile, Galliano rebuilt his career at Maison Margiela, where he’s spent the past decade and unveiled a widely discussed 2024 couture collection. His designs have remained Met Gala fixtures on stars like Zendaya and Kim Kardashian.
Reaction in New York
As criticism mounted, New York City Council member Julie Menin publicly urged the Met to rethink honoring Galliano, calling the plan a
“serious mistake.”
Art dealer Arne Glimcher also joined the chorus of detractors.
What could change
Met trustees and board members are discussing a schedule shift for the 2025 gala—moving it from the first Monday in May to the following week—so it won’t overlap with Yom HaShoah. A final decision on the date has not been announced.