The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced the theme for the 2027 Met Gala and its accompanying Costume Institute exhibition after cancelling its planned tribute to designer John Galliano.
On Thursday, the museum revealed that next year’s exhibition and star-studded red carpet event will centre around the theme: extraORDINARY: Fashion and the Poetics of the Everyday.
Asking guests and visitors “to see the everyday anew”, the exhibition will explore how commonplace materials and everyday garments can be transformed into extraordinary works of art through fashion and design.
The announcement comes after organisers scrapped plans to honour John Galliano in 2027 amid mounting backlash over his alleged history of racist and antisemitic comments.
The exhibition, titled John Galliano: Horizons, was set to be organised by Andrew Bolton, Curator in Charge of the Costume Institute in New York City, and would have celebrated the designer’s work and influence on the fashion industry over four decades.
It had been due to open on May 3, 2027, but Galliano announced his decision to step away from the project in August 2026.
Speaking at the time, he said: “After much reflection and discussion with all those involved, I have decided, with great sadness, that it is best for the exhibition not to take place at this time.”
Organisers had previously indicated that the exhibition would also examine the fallout from Galliano’s antisemitic tirade, with promotional material stating it would “address the derogatory conduct that fundamentally altered his career and public reception”.
“In doing so, the exhibition will consider how artistic achievement should be understood alongside ethical accountability,” the announcement added.
Galliano would have been just the third living designer to receive the honour, following Yves Saint Laurent in 1983 and Rei Kawakubo in 2017.
Now, the Costume Institute is turning its attention to the beauty and creativity of everyday fashion.
One section of the exhibition will explore how designers have elevated archetypal garments, including Virgil Abloh’s Off-White T-shirt, Bottega Veneta’s leather ‘tank top’ and Chanel’s muslin ‘jeans’.
Another will focus on the transformation of typically disposable materials into wearable works of art.
Speaking to Vogue, Bolton revealed that he had been particularly inspired by Japanese designer Jun Takahashi’s Fall 2024 Undercover collection, as well as the work of Anrealage designer Kunihiko Morinaga.
He also shared his hopes that visitors will embrace the theme by dressing in their own everyday favourites.
“I hope that people will come to the exhibition wearing their favourite T-shirt or their favourite pair of jeans or their favourite hoodie,” he told the outlet.
The 2027 Met Gala will take place on Monday, May 3, with the accompanying exhibition opening to the public on May 9, 2027.
The official co-chairs for next year’s highly anticipated event have yet to be announced.
