Why the John Galliano 2027 Met Gala theme is so controversial

Morgan Evans, USA TODAYMon, August 3, 2026 at 6:24 PM UTC

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The 2027 Met Gala is slowly coming together – but not without controversy.

On Friday, July 31, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Vogue announced that the Costume Institute's 2027 spring exhibition will be “John Galliano: Horizon,” dedicated to the body of work of the British designer.

Galliano – who was recently tapped by Zara for a two-year creative partnership – has been known as one of the greatest fashion visionaries, with designs that became favorites amongst celebrity names including Nicole Kidman, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Celine Dion and even Princess Diana. His legacy lives on today through a new wave of Hollywood stars, such as Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Margot Robbie, Bad Bunny and Zendaya, who recently wore a celestial-patterned, spider-web-adorned slip-style dress from John Galliano's spring/summer 1997 collection as part of her epic run of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" press tour ensembles.

But in 2011, the designer was arrested for antisemitic and racist incidents, which is sparking a backlash to his selection as the subject of the Met's exhibit and its accompanying gala. Here's everything you about Galliano and the controversy.

Who is John Galliano?

Galliano is the genius behind creations such as the beloved Dior Saddle bag as well as cultural fashion moments such as Princess Diana's lace-embroidered slip dress that she wore to the 1996 Met Gala.

After receiving a degree in fashion design from the prestigious Central Saint Martins of the University of the Arts London in 1984, Galliano launched his namesake line in London, before eventually moving to Paris.

His reputation grew, and in 1995, Galliano was named head designer at Givenchy. But it was only a year before he was named the new creative director for Dior. Galliano's tenure at Dior was considered peak fashion excellence, but it came to an abrupt halt following his firing in 2011 (more on that below).

After a few years, the designer was given another chance to shine as the creative director for Maison Margiela. Collection after collection, Galliano rebuilt his reputation. For his final Margiela bow, the designer left his mark with a dark but enchanting spring-summer 2024 collection set in the underworld of 1930s Paris and featuring an exquisitely haunting porcelain doll-like runway show with glassy makeup by Pat McGrath and theatrical ensembles with sculptural silhouettes, Galliano's exaggerated corsetry and divine tailoring.

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What is the controversy?

In 2011, the designer was arrested for antisemitic and racist incidents on two separate occasions. In one incident, which was captured on video, he professed his love for Hitler while drunk at a Paris bar. His actions led to his firing from Dior, and he was eventually convicted of committing two hate crimes, resulting in a fine from the Paris courts. Following the conviction, Galliano entered rehabilitation and remained out of the fashion spotlight for a few years before taking on a new role as creative director of Maison Margiela in 2014.

What were the reactions to the Galliano Met news?

News of the 2027 Met exhibition elicited a range of reactions online. While some praised the theme, expressing excitement for the plethora of archival fashion possibilities for the upcoming Met Gala, others questioned why Galliano should receive this honor.

"The Met Gala theme has just been released. And this year instead of just being out of touch and tone deaf, it’s also racist and antisemitic," one user posted on Threads.

Another Threads user wrote: "Fashion’s obsession with canonizing the same handful of designers will never cease to amaze me. Whether you believe Galliano has redeemed himself is almost beside the point. In an industry overflowing with extraordinary talent, craftsmanship, innovation, sustainability, and independent designers redefining fashion, this is who we’re putting on one of the biggest pedestals?"

What will the exhibit be like?

Following this year's "Costume Art" exhibition, "John Galliano: Horizon” will celebrate the designer's career arc at Givenchy, Dior and Maison Margiela. Yves Saint Laurent and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons are the only two other living designers who have been subjects of a Met exhibition, with Laurent in 1983 and Kawakubo in 2017.

“‘Horizons’ approaches fashion as a form of cartography, mapping not territories but affinities, tensions, and transformations. It traces how images become ideas, ideas become material, and material becomes emotion. Yet a horizon reveals not only what lies before us but also where we stand," Andrew Bolton, the Met's Costume Institute curator, told Vogue. "The exhibition therefore considers both how Galliano has remapped the world through fashion and how his conduct, its consequences, and changing cultural values have reshaped our understanding of his work.”

Commenting on how the exhibition "won't shy away" from the designer's past controversies as part of his story, Anna Wintour added, "He’s a great designer and his career isn’t defined by a moment – something that he will live with for the rest of his life. The exhibition won’t shy away from any of the darkness in John’s past. It’s part of what has shaped him. The show will take in the full arc of his career and grapple with all of it.”

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