Everything You Need To Know About The Met Gala 2027

The next Met Gala theme has finally been announced, with Vogue writing that it will center on John Galliano.

This is only the third time a living designer will be the subject of an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This follows the Yves Saint Laurent exhibition in 1983 and Comme des Garçons’ Rei Kawakubo in 2017.

Last year’s theme was “Costume Art.” So is everything you need to know about the Met Gala 2027.

What Is The Met Gala Theme in 2027?

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“Every Galliano collection begins as a journey among things separated by time, place, or medium: portrait and posture, silhouette and story, memory and material,” curator Andrew Bolton, who oversees the Costume Institute exhibits, said in a press release. “‘Horizons’ approaches fashion as a form of cartography, mapping not territories but affinities, tensions, and transformations. It traces how images become ideas, ideas become material and material becomes emotion.”

He added, “Yet a horizon reveals not only what lies before us, but also where we stand. The exhibition therefore considers both how Galliano has remapped the world through fashion and how his conduct, its consequences, and changing cultural values have reshaped our understanding of his work.”

Vogue’s editor, Anna Wintour, noted that “no one more deserving of an exhibition of this scale.” She described his work for his namesake labels and other houses as combining “erudition and creativity, darkness and light, the past, the present, the future all smashing together in a brilliant way.”

What Will The Exhibition Be About?

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The upcoming Costume Institute exhibition will span the entirety of Galliano’s career so far, including his work as a student at Central Saint Martins in London, and his designs for Dior, Givenchy, Maison Margiela, as well as his eponymous brand.

The exhibition will be organized into three parts: “Bearings,” “Horizons,” and “Atlas of Transformation.” The first section will put Galliano’s work into historical and cultural context. The second part will explore the inspirations behind the designs, including locations, history, art, and performance. The last section will delve into the designer’s creative process, from research to sketching, to designing and showcasing the garment.

This upcoming exhibition will also address Galliano’s controversy and “his conviction by a Paris court for public insults based on race, religion, ethnicity, or origin,” the press release states.

“It will also consider his subsequent treatment for substance addiction and his later public acknowledgment of his actions. Rather than presenting a conventional narrative of disgrace and redemption, the gallery will examine how memory, experience, cultural values, and historical circumstances continually reshape the reception of a designer’s work.”

Galliano Has Created Some Of The Most Memorable Met Gala Looks

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Of course, most of us want to know about the red carpet and who the stars will be wearing. Not everyone will be wearing Galliano, but they will likely don looks inspired by the British designer.

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Galliano is known for his theatrical storytelling, love of historical romance, and technical mastery. So expect to see lots of dramatic looks, corsets, and deconstructed couture. Of course, his work has graced the red carpet over the years.

One of his most famous appearances on the Met Gala red carpet came in 2018 when he designed that iconic papal look on Rihanna. Zendaya also wore a Galliano look in 2024, as well as Kim Kardashian and Gwendoline Christie. He recently designed Stevie Nicks’ Zara gown for the 2026 Met Gala in May

When is the Met Gala 2027 scheduled?

The exhibition will be kicked off by the annual Met Gala on 3 May. “John Galliano: Horizons” will be on display at The Met from May 9, 2027, until January 9, 2028. No co-chairs have currently been announced.