Met Gala 2025 to Honor Controversial Designer John Galliano

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has announced that its 2025 Met Gala will celebrate the work of British fashion designer John Galliano, marking the first major museum retrospective of his career. The exhibition, which will open the annual fundraising event, will also address the antisemitic incident that led to his dismissal from Dior in 2011. Galliano, born in Gibraltar in 1960, has previously served as creative director for Givenchy, Dior, and his own label. The Met Gala, traditionally held on the first Monday in May, is a star-studded fundraiser for the Costume Institute, which is now named after longtime Vogue editor Anna Wintour. Only two living designers have been honored with solo exhibitions at the Met Gala during their lifetimes: Yves Saint Laurent and Rei Kawakubo. The museum described Galliano as one of the most inventive and influential designers of the past four decades. The exhibition will include the scandal as part of its narrative, according to the museum. Galliano was convicted and given a suspended fine for his outburst, and has since spoken openly about his struggles with addiction. He has been gradually returning to the fashion industry in recent years.