Met Gala 2027 Theme Shifts to Everyday Materials After Galliano Cancellation
The Costume Institute will focus on jeans, puffer jackets, and paper as it replaces the canceled retrospective of the controversial British designer.
By Robert Ward ·
The 2027 Met Gala will be launched by an exhibit focused on ordinary materials such as jeans, puffer jackets, paper, and plastic. This new theme, titled “extraORDINARY: Fashion and the Poetics of the Everyday,” replaces the original plan to showcase the work of British designer John Galliano.
The Costume Institute announced the change on Thursday. The show is scheduled to open in May 2027, timed to coincide with the annual fundraising gala. Andrew Bolton, the institute’s head curator, stated that the new concept emerged while he was working on the previous year’s exhibition, “Costume Art.” He described the idea as previously being “a twinkle in my eye” before it became the central theme of the next season.
Bolton explained that the decision to pivot occurred after the museum and Galliano mutually agreed to cancel the retrospective. The original exhibit, announced in late July, had already begun collecting designs. Bolton admitted that the team had “no Plan B” and no other exhibition was ready to go. The cancellation followed pressure from donors, city officials, and the Jewish community regarding Galliano’s past remarks.
The museum initially planned to address Galliano’s “derogatory conduct that fundamentally altered his career and public reception.” That phrasing referred to his historical antisemitic and racist statements. A month after the announcement, the show was scrapped entirely. Bolton said the new focus allows the museum to explore how designers rework familiar garments through craft and conceptual wit.
New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, a past attendee and critic of the original plan, supported the cancellation. She noted that the 2027 gala would have fallen on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Menin, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, said in August that the harm caused by the original exhibit was “simply unacceptable.” She added that the decision to cancel was the correct one.
Galliano, who served as creative director for Christian Dior before his 2011 firing, issued a statement acknowledging the pain his words caused. He remained at Maison Margiela for a decade following his 2014 return. Anna Wintour, global editorial director of Vogue and a longtime supporter of Galliano, called his decision to step back “very courageous.” The hosts and dress code for the May 3, 2027, event will be announced at a later date.
