The decision marks a rare milestone for the Costume Institute, having only twice before devoted a major exhibition to a living designer: Yves Saint Laurent in 1983 and Rei Kawakubo in 2017.
However, Galliano's selection has proved controversial due to an antisemitic outburst in 2010 in which he expressed “love” for Adolf Hitler and said and told a group of Jewish women: “People like you would be dead. Your mothers, your forefathers would all be f***ing gassed.
The video then resurfaced online in early 2011 around the time of Paris Fashion Week, and Galliano was subsequently charged with making public insults based on origin, religious affiliation, race or ethnicity, which is a criminal offence in France.
In September of that year, he was found guilty and fined €6,000. During the trial, he maintained that the outburst had been the result of “work-related stress and multiple addictions” and that his frame of mind had been impacted by the death of Steve Robinson, a friend and business partner.
The scandal led Dior to suspend and then dismiss Galliano as its creative director. In a statement at the time, the fashion house described his comments as "particularly odious".
Designer John Galliano poses in the new Dior shop in Shanghai, May 14, 2010 (Credit: PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images
The incident also prompted widespread condemnation across the fashion industry.
Actress Natalie Portman, who is Jewish and was then a Dior ambassador, said she was "deeply shocked" by Galliano's comments and announced she would not be associated with him "in any way".
Others, though, including French-Jewish actress and model Eva Green, argued the remarks reflected his intoxication rather than deeply held beliefs, with Green saying: "Sometimes, you can make mistakes. I don't think he's antisemitic. I'm Jewish. I don't think he has anything against the Jews. I think it's more that he was probably a bit drunk.”
Galliano later apologised repeatedly for his behaviour, saying he had no memory of many of the incidents and attributing his conduct to alcoholism, drug addiction and personal struggles.
He has consistently denied being antisemitic, describing the remarks as incompatible with his beliefs, and has spoken publicly about his rehabilitation following treatment for addiction.
After several years away from the spotlight, Galliano returned to fashion in 2014 as creative director of Maison Margiela, where he created critically acclaimed collections.
The 65-year-old couturier’s creative resurgence has been widely praised, although his rehabilitation has remained contentious.
Women’s fashion magazine Marie Claire said of the decision: “Ultimately, the challenge for the exhibition will be balancing the celebration of Galliano’s creative contributions with a meaningful examination of the harm caused by his past conduct – and the broader questions it raises about artistic legacy, accountability and redemption.”
