There is currently no Met Gala 2027 theme. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's planned spring 2027 Costume Institute exhibition, "John Galliano: Horizons," was canceled on August 31, 2026, about a month after it was announced, and as of mid-October the Met has not named a replacement, co-chairs, a dress code or a final date.
Here's what happened and what's still unknown.
Quick facts
| Original 2027 theme | "John Galliano: Horizons" (canceled) |
| Announced | Early August 2026 |
| Canceled | August 31, 2026 |
| Original gala date | Monday, May 3, 2027 |
| Replacement theme | Not announced |
| Co-chairs / dress code | Not announced |
What was "John Galliano: Horizons"?
The exhibition, curated by Andrew Bolton, curator in charge of the Costume Institute, was to survey the British designer's career across Dior, his own label and Maison Margiela. It was due to open to the public on May 9, 2027, and run through January 9, 2028, after the gala on May 3.
"Every Galliano collection begins as a journey among things separated by time, place, or medium," Bolton said when it was announced. Anna Wintour told Vogue the show "won't shy away from any of the darkness in John's past."
Why is it controversial?
In 2011, Dior fired Galliano after a video surfaced of him making an antisemitic tirade in a Paris bar. A French court later convicted him over racist and antisemitic comments. He went to treatment, apologized publicly, and returned in 2014 as creative director of Maison Margiela, leaving in late 2024.
When the Met announced the show, critics said honoring him was wrong, especially amid rising antisemitism. The New York Times reported that some donors threatened to pull gifts, and public figures including New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, gallerist Arne Glimcher and writer Jill Kargman spoke out. Reports also noted that the gala date overlapped with Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The case for the show, made by the Met and many in fashion, was that Galliano is one of the most significant designers of his era, and that an exhibition could address his past honestly rather than ignore it.
How did it end?
On August 31, the Met and Galliano said the exhibition would not go ahead.
"With great sadness, that it is best for the exhibition not to take place at this time." — John Galliano
He added that he remains "fully accountable for the pain caused by my words in the past." Met director Max Hollein said the decision followed "thoughtful discussions with many stakeholders and with John Galliano," and Bolton said, "I support the decision not to proceed." Wintour called Galliano's request "very courageous."
Wintour described it as a postponement, but the Met's statement did not use that word, and no future Galliano exhibition has been scheduled.
When is the Met Gala 2027?
The gala is traditionally held on the first Monday in May: May 3, 2027. Because of the overlap with Yom HaShoah, trustees were reportedly discussing a change. The Met has not confirmed a date.
What is the dress code, and who are the co-chairs?
Neither has been announced. Both follow from the exhibition, so they can't come until the Met names a new show. For comparison, the 2026 gala's co-chairs were Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour, with Zoë Kravitz and Anthony Vaccarello leading the host committee.
Recent Met Gala themes
| Year | Exhibition | Dress code |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | In America: A Lexicon of Fashion | American Independence |
| 2022 | In America: An Anthology of Fashion | Gilded Glamour |
| 2023 | Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty | In honor of Karl |
| 2024 | Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion | The Garden of Time |
| 2025 | Superfine: Tailoring Black Style | Tailored for You |
| 2026 | Costume Art | Fashion Is Art |
| 2027 | John Galliano: Horizons (canceled) | Not announced |
The 2026 show, "Costume Art," was the first in the Met's new Condé M. Nast Galleries, which will host future spring Costume Institute exhibitions.
What to watch
The new theme. The Met has said it will announce a new spring exhibition and gala details "at a later date."
The date. Whether the gala stays on May 3 or moves.
Co-chairs and dress code, which usually follow months before the gala.
Updated October 18, 2026. As of this date, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has not announced a replacement for "John Galliano: Horizons" or confirmed the 2027 gala date. Statements are from the Met, John Galliano and Anna Wintour as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Vogue, W Magazine and Marie Claire.
