As opposition spreads among the Jewish community... Galliano: “I take full responsibility for my past remarks.”

As opposition spreads among the Jewish community... Galliano: “I take full responsibility for my past remarks.”

(New York = Yonhap News) Correspondent Lim Soo-jeong = The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA, planned to present an exhibition looking at British fashion designer John Galliano (66) next spring in conjunction with the global fashion event 'Met Gala', but eventually canceled it as the controversy over his past anti-Semitic and racist remarks resurfaced.

According to the Associated Press on the 31st (local time), the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced that it would cancel the Galliano exhibition scheduled to open in May next year and replace it with another exhibition.

The exhibition was scheduled to open in conjunction with the annual Met Gala, one of the fashion world's biggest events.

“After careful discussion with John Galliano, we have decided together not to proceed with the exhibition,” Max Hollein, director and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, said in a statement.

Galliano also said, "It is very sad, but I have decided that it is best not to open the exhibition at this time. I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused to the Jewish and Asian communities through my past comments, and I deeply apologize."

Galliano gained global fame as the creative director of Christian Dior, but was fired in 2010 and 2011 after a series of racist and anti-Semitic remarks were made public. He was later found guilty on related charges by a French court.

He returned in 2014 when he was recruited by Maison Margiela in Paris and stayed active for 10 years.

This was scheduled to be the third time in history that the Metropolitan Museum of Art has exclusively spotlighted a living designer.

However, after the exhibition plan became known, opposition spread, especially among the Jewish community.

The museum consulted with Jewish community leaders before the announcement, but the controversy did not subside, and New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin publicly called for cancellation.

Chairman Menin said on this day, “At a time when anti-Semitism is spreading, this exhibition has had a great impact on the Jewish community,” and added, “This cancellation is the right decision.”

The Met Gala is overseen by Anna Wintour, Vogue's global editorial director and one of the most influential figures in global fashion. Wintour has long been known as a friend and supporter of Galliano.