The announcement of the 2027 Met Gala theme honoring legendary fashion designer John Galliano has sparked an immediate wave of backlash across social media with many questioning the decision to celebrate one of fashion's most influential yet controversial figures.Titled “John Galliano: Horizons,'' the upcoming exhibition will honour and recognize the works of the British fashion designer, making him only the third living designer ever honoured with a solo Met exhibition, after Yves Saint Laurent in 1983 and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons in 2017.Vogue’s current global editorial director and Met trustee Anna Wintour announced the exhibition as:“There is no one more deserving of an exhibition of this scale than John Galliano. His body of work—at Dior, Givenchy, Margiela, his namesake label and more—combines erudition and creativity, darkness and light, the past, the present, the future all smashing together in a brilliant way.”More on this in our story.2027 Met Gala theme: The controversial figure of John GallianoJohn Galliano is credited as one of the most influential names in the fashion industry in the early 2000s. After starting his career with Givenchy in 1995, Galliano became the creative director of Dior from 1997 to 2011. But his career took a drastic shift in 2011, following a string of antisemitic and racist comments, including a controversial incident in 2010, where the British fashion designer insulted a group of Jewish women and professed his admiration for Hitler.The incident dates back to December 2010, when a drunken John Galliano was caught on camera insulting a group of Jewish women in Paris bar La Perle. This is what Galliano said:"I love Hitler. ... People like you would be dead. Your mothers, your forefathers would all be f*cking gassed.''When the video resurfaced in February 2011, just days before Paris Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2011/2012, Dior announced their suspension of Galliano, citing the video as the reason behind his dismissal. In another incident from February 2011, Galliano was accused of verbally abusing two people, including a man named Philippe Virgitti at La Perle. The second incident led to the designer's arrest in February 2011, during which he took the stand in his own defense.John Galliano testified that he could not remember the details of his outbursts due to triple addiction to sleeping pills, Valium and alcohol. The designer openly confessed to his addiction in court and revealed that he is seeking treatment for the same. He further revealed that his mental state was affected by the death of his friend and close business partner Steven Robinson. In September, Galliano was found guilty of making antisemitic comments and was sentenced to a total of €6,000 in suspended fines.In Kevin Macdonald’s 2024 documentary, High & Low — John Galliano, which touches upon the two incidents, the designer reflected on his controversial past:“I can say I’m not racist, but every day you actually learn that all of us are a bit. But we just need to unlearn it and like immigrants. I am one. I was one.”Fan reactions to the 2027 Met Gala themeWithin hours of the 2027 Met Gala theme reveal, platforms such as X and Reddit were flooded with mixed reactions. Some fashion enthusiasts praised the decision to honour the celebrated designer. But others questioned the decision, highlighting Galliano's questionable past, which holds consequences to this day.A Reddit user strongly criticized the 2027 Met Gala theme and wrote:''I don’t understand how you can honor someone in this way and pretend like acknowledging their racism somehow nullifies the fact that you’re still elevating the entirety of their messaging.''Another Reddit user echoed the sentiment, arguing that the Museum could have chosen to honor Dior instead, an exhibition that would naturally acknowledge Galliano's contributions, rather than dedicating an entire showcase to a designer whose legacy remains deeply controversial:''This guy was so bad Dior literally fired him despite how important he was to the brand, that should have been enough to never bring him into the conversation again. They literally had a way to honor the art without honoring the artist and have no one think twice.''A Deadline report suggests that Anna Wintour and John Galliano have spent the past year meeting with prominent rabbis and Jewish community leaders to discuss concerns surrounding the 2027 Met Gala and address potential backlash over the event's theme. With figures like Wintour backing Galliano, people are calling for greater accountability from the Met Gala and its organizers.The exhibition will run from 9 May 2027 to 9 January 2028, with the Met Gala taking place on 3 May 2027 in New York City.For the latest scoops on your favorite TV shows and movies, follow SoapCentral.