Calls for Anna Wintour to take a break have intensified following designer John Galliano's announcement that he is withdrawing as the theme for the 2027 Met Gala. Sources suggest Wintour, Vogue's global chief content officer and artistic director, may have misjudged the situation in her efforts to support her longtime friend.
An industry insider told Page Six that Wintour "singlehandedly thought she could willfully get [Galliano] back [in fashion]," adding that she "really misjudged it, and she made him vulnerable while doing that." The source further stated, "She’s not reading the f–king room… She really overplayed her hand. They really need to take a beat, take a year off, because people don’t have time for this s–t right now."
Wintour and Galliano have a history, with the Vogue editor supporting the designer after his 2011 antisemitic and racist remarks and subsequent rehabilitation. In February, a fashion source observed Wintour and Galliano having a lengthy dinner with Vogue veteran Grace Coddington, fueling speculation about their plans.
In July, Wintour announced "John Galliano: Horizons" as the theme for the 2027 Met Gala. However, a source close to Wintour insisted that the decision was not solely hers, emphasizing that it was a collective choice by the Met board. "It’s a huge amount of people on the Met board that signed off on this. She’s a piece of that," the source said. "It wasn’t her decision alone, by any stretch of the imagination. His exhibition… people have been speaking about it for at least a couple of years. It was a big group decision. It’s a team effort. Not just her."
The selection of Galliano as the theme immediately drew criticism from Jewish leaders and museum donors. On Monday, Galliano released a statement acknowledging his past actions: "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."
Galliano continued, "I understand that meaningful atonement is not achieved through an exhibition, institutional recognition or a single public gesture. It is a continuing responsibility, demonstrated through listening, learning and one’s conduct over time."
A Condé Nast insider commented that Wintour "doesn’t understand what people are talking about and thought she could shoulder through this and it would blow over," adding, "Anna’s lost her touch on the zeitgeist."
A representative for Wintour did not immediately respond to requests for comment.