Clothing has long been more than just fabric. For black men across centuries, style has been a powerful tool—an act of resistance, a declaration of pride, and a form of self-definition. This tradition, known as black dandyism, is the focus of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s highly anticipated 2025 Costume Institute spring exhibition, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, and the corresponding Met Gala theme, "Tailored for You."
A Statement in Every Stitch
Dandyism refers to flamboyant, tailored fashion that speaks to individuality and cultural sophistication. In black culture, it has always carried deeper meaning—a reaction to the historical stripping away of personal identity and autonomy. As scholar and guest curator Monica L. Miller, author of Slaves to Fashion, notes, enslaved Africans were brought to America “physically and metaphorically naked,” their identities forcibly erased. Clothing thus became a battleground for reclaiming visibility and dignity.
Superfine: A Celebration of Style and Strength
The exhibition explores over 300 years of black men’s fashion, featuring garments, photographs, films, and historic artifacts. It highlights how black dandyism developed as a subversive response to oppression and stereotyping, using sartorial elegance to express self-worth and challenge societal expectations.
The term "superfine" itself refers to a luxurious, finely woven wool but also to the emotional power of dressing well—feeling “superfine” in one's skin. From 19th-century activist Frederick Douglass’s dignified portraits to present-day style icons like Lewis Hamilton and Colman Domingo, the show traces a throughline of elegance as empowerment.
From Slavery to the Red Carpet
The story includes figures like Julius Soubise, a formerly enslaved man in 18th-century Britain, whose extravagant attire and aristocratic flair disrupted racial and gender norms. In the United States, Ellen and William Craft famously used fashion as a tool of liberation in 1848, with Ellen disguising herself as a white male aristocrat to escape slavery with her husband.
In the Harlem Renaissance, fashion again became political and poetic. Black urban communities used style to assert sophistication and counter racist depictions. The 1917 Silent Protest Parade saw 10,000 African Americans march in solemn dignity, dressed in tailored suits and white dresses—an unforgettable image of grace amid brutality.
Tailored for the Future
This year’s Met Gala brings this legacy to the global stage. Hosted by Colman Domingo, A$AP Rocky, Lewis Hamilton, and Pharrell Williams, alongside Anna Wintour and LeBron James, it highlights how black men continue to use fashion as a canvas for resistance and celebration.
As Stuart McLeod of the National Lottery Heritage Fund said of another fashion-focused revival in Bath, “A globally significant collection will be accessible to everyone, both in person and digitally.” The same spirit applies here: Superfine doesn't just showcase clothes—it tells a global story of identity, resilience, and style.
