Anna Wintour Faces Backlash Over Failed John Galliano Met Gala Plans

Anna Wintour found herself right in the middle of a fashion firestorm after plans to celebrate disgraced designer John Galliano at the Met Gala fell apart completely. Scrapping the planned 2027 exhibition devoted to his work did very little to quiet the criticism, with fashion industry insiders telling the New York Post that Wintour should face greater scrutiny over her role in the project. One insider told the newspaper, "I wish Anna would take more accountability." Another source said, "She is the person who wanted this to happen, never fully considering the consequences.' She is the public face and reaps the benefit of the gala and the surrounding coverage." The question then became, "Why does she only get to reap the rewards and not face more criticism?"

Red carpet expert Melissa Rivers told Page Six Style that Anna Wintour is brilliant, but people rarely say no to her. She added that in the past, she's made some mistakes of not reading the room correctly. Rivers noted that her late mother, Joan Rivers, "would have hated" a Galliano-themed Met Gala but admitted she was a fan of his designs. She called him "such a force of nature in fashion and design." However, when asked if it is a great time to honor his work, she replied, "Unfortunately, no, not a great read of the room."

At the heart of the Met Gala backlash was Galliano's troubled past. For years he was recognized as one of the fashion world's biggest talents for his creatively flamboyant designs and stood at the pinnacle of that world as the creative director of Christian Dior. He was fired in 2011 after a series of racist and antisemitic remarks he made in 2010 and 2011 surfaced and went viral, leading to his conviction in an antisemitism trial in France. Among the remarks Galliano made to bar patrons and circulated on video was the statement, "I love Hitler." He also told Jewish patrons that their mothers and forefathers would have been "gassed." He also made derogatory comments to an Asian patron. After he was dropped by Dior, Galliano spent several years working to rehabilitate his image and career. He made a comeback in 2014 when he was hired by Paris fashion house Maison Margiela, where he remained for a decade.

However, putting him at the center of the Costume Institute's 2027 exhibition brought new scrutiny for Vogue's former editor-in-chief. Some defended Wintour, arguing the decision had extended far beyond her. One source told the New York Post, "People seem to think she's the sole person [making decisions about the Met theme]." They added, "It's a huge amount of people on the Met board that signed off on this." The same person said, "She's a piece of that." They continued, "It wasn't her decision alone, by any stretch of the imagination. This exhibition … people have been speaking about it for at least a couple of years." Finally, they concluded, "It was a big group decision. It's a team effort. Not just her." Responsibility for approving the exhibition may have stretched well beyond Wintour, but Galliano appeared to make one thing clear: The decision to kill it was his. He stated in a statement shared by The Met, "After much reflection and discussion with The Met and all those involved, I have decided, with great sadness, that it is best for the exhibition not to take place at this time." He added, "I remain fully accountable for the pain caused by my words in the past, particularly the hurt I caused to the Jewish and Asian communities, and I remain deeply sorry for it." He finished by saying, "I understand that meaningful atonement is not achieved through an exhibition, institutional recognition or a single public gesture."

The risk here goes beyond just one person's reputation. When a figurehead like Wintour pushes forward with controversial themes, the entire industry gets dragged into the debate. Communities hurt by past actions face renewed pain when those actions are celebrated again. Regulations and board decisions matter because they show who holds power and how that power is used to shape public memory. If the Met Gala can honor a man convicted of hate speech, what message does that send to Jewish or Asian communities today? The answer matters more than fashion shows ever could.

Andrew Bolton, who runs The Costume Institute, spoke up about the row surrounding the exhibition. He said he stood by the choice not to move forward after many talks. "I believe deeply in the responsibility of museums to examine difficult histories with rigor, candor and care," Bolton stated. "I also recognize the pain and concern this exhibition has caused." The curator added that he now supports stopping the project. He thanked his colleagues and advisors for their help.

John Galliano accepted blame for his past actions. Bolton admitted the show hurt many people. Still, some experts in fashion kept pointing fingers at Anna Wintour. She issued a statement on Monday but did not say sorry. "John's decision that the exhibition devoted to his work should not take place at this time is very courageous and a measure of the man he is," she wrote. "I believe this is the right decision, and both he and the Museum have my full support."

One source told the Post it was too late for an apology now. They said Wintour should step down. Another insider claimed she failed to grasp what people were discussing. They believed she thought the anger would fade away on its own. "Anna's lost her touch on the zeitgeist," that person noted. Yet others argued her support came from a place of love and forgiveness. She truly believes in second chances for everyone. This view explains why she wanted Galliano to host the 2027 Met Gala.

Sources also recalled how Wintour helped bring Georgina Chapman back into fashion work. They did this after the #MeToo movement highlighted claims against Harvey Weinstein. The insider said encouraging people to wear her Marchesa brand was a sign of that support. "There is no question Galliano is talented," one voice admitted. Letting him return is one thing, they noted. Celebrating him so widely while antisemitism rises sends the wrong message. Still, Anna remains loyal to friends she has backed before.