The cancellation was due to Galliano's scandalous statements made over ten years ago. In 2011, the designer was found guilty of public insults based on racial and religious hatred in France. The court imposed a fine on him, and the ensuing scandal led to Galliano's dismissal from the fashion house Dior. Subsequently, the designer repeatedly apologized and spoke about working on himself and undergoing treatment. However, the Metropolitan Museum's plans to dedicate one of the main exhibitions of the year to him sparked a new wave of criticism. Politicians, public figures, and representatives from the cultural sphere opposed the project. The discussion intensified after the publication by The New York Times. One of the critics of the exhibition was Pace Gallery founder Arne Glimcher. He stated that he might refuse to donate artworks to the museum that he had previously planned to bequeath. According to the director of the Metropolitan Museum, Max Hollein, the decision to abandon the project was made after discussions with the designer himself. Galliano stated that he agreed to the cancellation of the exhibition, although this decision was not easy for him. The designer once again acknowledged responsibility for his past statements and apologized to the Jewish and Asian communities whom they hurt. What project will take the place of the canceled Galliano exhibition is still unknown. However, the Met Gala in 2027 is expected to take place in its usual format.
