John Galliano will no longer be honoured at the upcoming Met Gala after the announcement of the exhibition was met with a wave of backlash.16:30, 31 Aug 2026John Galliano will no longer be honoured at the upcoming Met Gala after the announcement of the exhibition was met with a wave of backlash.‌The 65-year-old was previously convicted of hate crimes in 2011, after he made antisemitic and racist remarks on two separate occasions.‌Many were stunned when it was previously revealed that he would be the focus of the 2027 exhibit, titled John Galliano: Horizons - this would have been only the third time a living designer was honoured, following Yves Saint Laurent in 1983 and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons in 2017.‌In a statement earlier today, Galliano confirmed that he would be stepping back from the upcoming event. He said: “I am profoundly grateful to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and particularly to Max Hollein, Andrew Bolton and Anna Wintour, for the extraordinary honour of proposing an exhibition devoted to my work.“To have my creative journey considered by an institution that I have admired throughout my life moved me more deeply that I can express. I will remain forever grateful for the confidence, care and scholarship that Max, Andrew, Anna and the entire Met team brought to this project.‌“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. 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.“I understand that meaningful atonement is not achieved through an exhibition, institutional recognition or a single public gesture. It is a continuing responsibility, demonstrated through listening, learning and one’s conduct over time.”“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,” he added. “I also recognise and respect that the exhibition honouring my work would be painful for some.‌“I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to all those who have guided, supported and accompanied me throughout those fifteen years of sobriety and recovery from alcoholism and addiction.“Your wisdom, patience and humanity have helped me more than I can ever adequately express. I remain profoundly indebted to you for giving me, as you promised, a life better than I could ever have dreamt of.‌“My gratitude to the Met, Max, Andrew and Anna remains profound and enduring. Their generosity, humanity and belief in the importance of fashion as art, culture and history - as well as their understanding of human fragility and the possibility of growth - will remain with me always.”In 2011, footage emerged of the designer making racist and antisemitic remarks at a bar in Paris. He swiftly lost his job as creative director of Christian Dior, and was found guilty on two counts of "public insults based on origin, religious affiliation, race or ethnicity" at a court in France.‌In July, it was revealed that Galliano, who started his career at Givenchy in 1995, would be recognised at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute’s spring 2027 exhibition.However, in the wake of the decision, the New York Times reports that organisers had been met with opposition - with some donors threatening to withdraw gifts to the museum if things went ahead.Max Hollein, Metropolitan Museum of Art director and chief executive officer, said in a statement today: “Following thoughtful discussions with John Galliano, we have together decided not to proceed with the exhibition.”Article continues belowAnna Wintour added: “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.“I believe this is the right decision, and both he and the museum have my full support.”Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .