The exhibition will present Galliano’s creative output alongside an examination of the events that shaped his career
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced that its Spring 2027 Costume Institute exhibition will spotlight John Galliano, making him just the third living designer to receive a solo retrospective. Titled John Galliano: Horizons, the exhibition will be organized into three sectors: bearings, horizons, and atlas of transformation. Set to open May 9th in tandem with the annual Met Gala, it will present a comprehensive look at Galliano’s creative career while also confronting the events that dramatically altered it.
Curated by Andrew Bolton, the exhibition will trace Galliano’s work spanning four decades, from his 1984 graduate collection to his tenures at Givenchy, Dior, and Maison Margiela. Alongside more than two hundred garments, John Galliano: Horizons will feature sketches, toiles, archival materials, photographs, and film to offer insight into the designer’s creative process and approach to storytelling.
Rather than separating Galliano’s work from his personal history, the exhibition will also address the antisemitic remarks that led to his dismissal from Dior in 2011 and the years of rehabilitation that followed. The museum’s leadership worked with Jewish community leaders during the planning process to ensure the exhibition encompasses both Galliano’s artistic contributions and the complexities of his legacy.
As Galliano’s work continues to influence contemporary fashion, the exhibition reflects the Costume Institute’s evolving approach to examining fashion history through a lens of creative achievement and personal accountability.