The Metropolitan Museum of Art has cancelled a planned exhibition honouring British fashion designer John Galliano following strong criticism over his past antisemitic and racist remarks.

The exhibition had been scheduled as the Costume Institute’s spring 2027 show and was expected to coincide with the annual Met Gala. The museum said another exhibition would be announced later.

“Following thoughtful discussions with John Galliano, we have together decided not to proceed with the exhibition,” the museum’s director and CEO Max Hollein said in a statement.

Galliano said he supported the decision and expressed regret over his past remarks, particularly the pain caused to Jewish and Asian communities.

Galliano was once one of the fashion industry’s most celebrated designers and served as creative director of Christian Dior. However, he was dismissed after racist and antisemitic remarks he made in 2010 and 2011 became public. He was later convicted in France over antisemitic comments.

After several years away from the spotlight, Galliano returned to the fashion industry in 2014 as creative director of Maison Margiela, where he worked for a decade.

He would have been only the third living designer to receive a solo exhibition at the Met’s Costume Institute.

The planned exhibition had faced growing opposition, including from New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who welcomed the museum’s decision to cancel it.

Menin said she had repeatedly opposed honouring Galliano, arguing that the exhibition had caused deep pain to the Jewish community at a time of rising antisemitism.

She described the cancellation as the right decision, saying the harm and distress caused by the planned exhibition were unacceptable.

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