Anna Wintour was observed at the US Open in New York City displaying a somber demeanor, just hours after the announcement that an exhibition honoring designer John Galliano, initially slated for the Met Gala, had been canceled.
The planned exhibition and Met Ball event were intended to celebrate Galliano, who faced significant backlash for making antisemitic and racist remarks in 2011. Amidst widespread criticism, Galliano announced on Monday morning via Instagram that "after much reflection and discussion with all those involved," it was deemed "best for the exhibition not to take place at this time."
Just after the cancellation was made public, Wintour, 76, was spotted in the stands at the U.S. Open, watching a match between Tallon Griekspoor and Ben Shelton. She appeared serious, with her arms crossed, and was seen with one hand raised to her mouth at one point. Wintour was dressed in a green and white collared button-down dress, accessorized with dark sunglasses and her signature bob hairstyle.
In his statement, Galliano expressed gratitude to Wintour, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, its CEO Max Hollein, and curator Andrew Bolton for the "extraordinary honor of proposing an exhibition devoted to my work." He added, "I will remain forever grateful for the confidence, care and scholarship that Max, Andrew, Anna and the entire Met team brought to this project."
Vogue released a statement from Wintour on Monday, in which she praised Galliano's decision to postpone the exhibition as "very courageous." She stated, "I believe this is the right decision, and both he and the Museum have my full support." Wintour commended Galliano's "soaring imagination" and described him as "the premiere couturier of his generation."
Galliano's career faltered in 2011 following the emergence of a video from a Paris cafe where he made offensive remarks. The designer subsequently issued an apology, attributing his behavior to intoxication and claiming no memory of the incident. He was convicted in France for making racist and antisemitic remarks and subsequently dismissed from Dior and his own label. After years of public amends and working with Jewish community figures, Galliano returned to fashion in 2014 as creative director for Maison Margiela.
In his recent statement, Galliano affirmed, "I remain fully accountable for the pain caused by my words in the past, particularly the hurt I caused the Jewish and Asian communities, and I remain sorry." He also acknowledged that the exhibition might be "painful for some."
The initial announcement of the exhibition theme last month had sparked immediate controversy, particularly as the Met Gala's fundraising benefit date, May 3, coincided with Yom HaShoah, the Jewish day of Holocaust remembrance. Wintour had initially defended the exhibition, stating that Galliano's career was not defined by a single moment and that the exhibition would address "the darkness in John's past."