By Islam El-Sakka
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced a new theme for the 2027 Met Gala and Costume Institute exhibition, focusing on everyday wardrobe staples like blue jeans and puffer coats, after canceling a planned John Galliano-themed event.
New Exhibition Focuses on Wardrobe Staples
The exhibition, titled "extraOrdinary: Fashion and the Poetics of the Everyday," will feature 200 to 230 pieces including historic items such as Brooke Shields's Calvin Klein jeans from the 1980 advertisement, Charles James's 1930s couture puffer coat, and Matthieu Blazy's trompe l'oeil leather jeans for Bottega Veneta. The gala in May 2027 will invite celebrity guests to interpret the theme of basic clothing reimagined through high fashion.
Galliano Exhibit Canceled Amid Controversy
The museum scrapped the "John Galliano: Horizon" exhibition in August 2026 after mounting public pressure over Galliano's history of antisemitic and racist remarks, including a 2011 French court conviction for an antisemitic hate crime. The original timing coincided with Israel's Holocaust Remembrance Day, prompting influential donors to warn the exhibit might be perceived as celebrating Galliano.
Mixed Reception and Sponsorship
The new theme has been characterized as a safe, mundane choice, announced quietly without the usual star-studded press conference. Sponsors include Meta and Moncler, the luxury outerwear brand. The gala has faced declining enthusiasm in recent years, with criticism over extravagance and the 2026 sponsorship by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez leading to celebrity boycotts. Co-chairs for the 2027 event have not yet been announced; last year's co-chairs included Beyoncé, Venus Williams, and Nicole Kidman.
