John Galliano pulls US exhibition after backlash

Fashion designer was criticized over his past antisemitic remarks

NEW YORK:

Top fashion designer John Galliano announced Monday he has withdrawn from a planned exhibition of his work at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, following criticism from donors and political leaders over his past antisemitic remarks.

"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 wrote on Instagram.

"I remain fully accountable for the pain caused by my words in the past, particularly the hurt I caused to the Jewish and Asian communities, and I remain deeply sorry," he added.

A French court convicted Galliano in 2011 of making racist and antisemitic comments after he hurled Jewish and Asian slurs at a Paris bar.

The Briton, famed for his flamboyant personality and daring designs, was also fired from his job as creative director of Dior after the incident surfaced.

The Met had planned a nine-month exhibition of his work next May but high-profile Jewish figures, including renowned art dealer Arne Glimcher and city council speaker Julie Menin, voiced opposition this month.

"I do not want the debate surrounding me to place the Met in a difficult position or to distract from the remarkable work of the Costume Institute," Galliano said Monday, referencing the museum's department dedicated to fashion.

"I also recognize and respect that an exhibition honoring my work would be painful for some," he said.

- Wintour weighs in -

Galliano also referenced the rehabilitation that followed his conviction, noting his "deepest gratitude to all those who have guided, supported and accompanied me throughout these fifteen years of sobriety and recovery from alcoholism and addiction."

The Met confirmed that the "John Galliano: Horizons" show would not proceed as planned, and that a new exhibition would be announced at a later date.

Andrew Bolton, curator in charge of the Met's Costume Institute, said he supported the decision.

"I believe deeply in the responsibility of museums to examine difficult histories with rigor, candor, and care. I also recognize the pain and concern this exhibition has caused," he said in a statement.

Anna Wintour, the fashion icon and ex-Vogue editor who is a trustee of the Met, expressed her "full support" for Galliano and the museum.

"John's decision that the exhibition devoted to his work should not take place at this time is very courageous and a measure of the man he is," she said.

After Dior, Galliano took the reins as creative director at Maison Margiela. He stepped down in 2024 after 10 years at the French label which helped recover his scandal-tainted image.

In March, he signed a two-year creative contract with Spanish retailer Zara.

He was the creative director of his eponymous label John Galliano and French fashion houses Givenchy and Dior. From 2014 to 2024, Galliano was the creative director of Paris-based fashion house Maison Margiela. Galliano has been named British Designer of the Year four times. In a 2004 poll for the BBC, he was named the fifth most influential person in British culture. The Metropolitan Museum of Art planned for the Costume Institute's Spring 2027 exhibition to be a retrospective of Galliano's work.