Striking figures with eclectic, brightly colored clothing punctuate the room. Under the dim spotlight, you must gaze upwards to get a glimpse of the figure looking down upon the crowd. Its position above the crowd—hands at its sides, eyes unflinching, a sureness in its posture—is one of subdued power and courage.
On the second floor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, near the Nineteenth-Century European Paintings and Sculpture Galleries, the ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’ exhibit speaks. The carefully curated exhibit goes beyond the premise of tracing the black dandy—someone who “studies above everything else to dress elegantly and fashionably”—in order to tell a tale of sorrow, satire, and hope.
The Met’s Costume Institute is behind the exhibition, and it is on view in Gallery 999 from May 10th through October 26th, 2025. This is the Costume Institute’s first exhibit devoted to menswear in over two decades. Curated in partnership with Andrew Bolton, head curator of the Costume Institute, and Monica L. Miller, professor of Africana studies at Barnard College, the show drew inspiration from Miller’s seminal 2009 book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity.
A unique part of the Met is its international audience—I heard murmured voices of awe in languages from French to German to those I couldn’t quite place. Strolling around the exhibit on a beautiful Sunday morning, I was pleased to see that the gallery could not have been more packed. Throughout the exhibit, people with different stories, loves, and lives clustered into the sleek exhibition space in order to learn. This is what an exhibit needs—an audience that breathes.
The exhibit is divided into twelve sections. The first two, “Ownership” and “Presence,” immerse you in the 17th and 18th-century origins of what defined Black dandyism at the start—oppression. Dandyism was pushed upon the enslaved Black male population with the supposition that a person of color could never be a gentleman. Black servants of high society, adorned with fanciful garments of satin and silk, were depicted as something, not even someone, to be mocked.
During the Age of Colonialism, Black dandyism began to morph with Enlightenment ideals spreading across the Atlantic. Toussaint L’Ouverture’s slave rebellion in Saint-Domingue—a French colony that is now modern-day Haiti—spread a sense of unease throughout European and Western powers. This merged a military identity with Black dandyism, both enforcing a patriarchal notion of masculinity and a reclaiming of dandyism for the Black self. Portraits of L’Ouverture and Black Haitian leaders in the exhibit emanate a sense of distinction with military dress—the very focus of this section, “distinction.”
Early evidence of Black dandies in the United States ironically came in the form of advertisements for their capture posted by white enslavers. Runaways described as “particularly fond of dress,” with fine clothing and a well groomed appearance were warned against, often because their masters knew how such appearances could serve as a disguise, as a mask that helped self-emancipated Black people associate themselves with a higher class, whiteness, and freedmen.
Perhaps the most intriguing section of this exhibit is “disguise,” for it juxtaposes the versatility of clothing to both hide and express. Alternating between self-expression and resistance, one fascinating example of this was a biological Black woman who lived her life as a white man, fooling the town of Milwaukee, Wisconsin of her status. Ralph Kerwineo, her assumed masculine name, gained national attention when outed by an ex-lover in 1914. The court eventually sided with Kerwineo, agreeing with her claim to the threat and lack of opportunities that a single, colored woman faced, but forced her to relinquish her masculine identity.
To comment on the subversive suggestions of freedom, there emerged a movement to maintain the status quo that kept Blacks submissive to white control. This is the focus of the section “disguise.” In turn, this is expanded upon by the following section, “freedom.” In freedom of fashion, dandies found power. Dandies adopted extensive neckwear in the 1810-1820s, a plumage from wearing a cravat (a length of fabric wrapped around the throat and tied) and later stocks (fixed neckcloths that were secured with straps and buckles) over linen shirts with high collars. This robust fabric became a symbol of pride for dandies as the fabric physically compelled the wearer’s chin back to look down their nose at others. For others, it became yet another manifestation of Black people trying to dress like white men. In an essay written in 1818, one satirist commented on the use of cravats as, “the air of being puffed up with pride, vanity, and conceit.”
From the power of individual garments, the exhibit moves into the realm of cultural visibility, examining how Black athletes reshaped the public narrative in the section entitled “Champion.” “Champion” examines the power of Black athletes in controlling the narrative and faces of their race as they champion progress. The insights into the well-known power of Muhammad Ali and the NBA was complemented by the more niche connection to Black jockeys—professional riders of horses.
“Respectability,” became a burgeoning need for long-awaited progress that emerged during the abolition and civil rights movements; this was addressed by the use of clothing. By dressing in bespoke suits (suits that are well-fitted and tailored to you), Black figures were able to subvert expectations and preconceived notions of Black dress. Figures such as Benjamin Banneker and Frederick Douglass dressed to impress, exuding dignity and elegance. This was a form of both blending in and standing out where they were able to better integrate themselves into a segregated white society, while simultaneously calling attention to Black humanity.
This section comments on the tradition of “dressing nicely,” a value that’s been passed down, focusing on what it meant for Black people. Featuring fashion from Howard University and photographs of students from HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities), the section effectively made the case that dandyism was, in fact, popularized by the need to prove the stereotypes wrong. In the November 18th, 1946 issue of Life magazine, the publication noted that “although Howard students are as clothes-conscious as every other U.S. undergraduate, they generally dress better.”
The curators took a shift when they examined the section, “Jook.” They examined what Black people wore to jook (or juke) joints, speakeasies, and cabarets in order to eliminate the presence of the outside world: in essence, what did they wear for themselves? The answer lies with French-American bisexual performer Josephine Baker. Baker, an icon of unapologetic self-expression, challenged gender norms by wearing a tuxedo—a way to “communicate an unapologetic sex appeal, a sharp-edged androgyny, and a playful yet assertive queerness.” Beyond tuxedos, American dandies created a symbol of racial strife by expression via the famous “zoot suit.” The zoot suit is characterized by its broad shoulders and baggy style. It was a symbol of joy and rejection of the tailoring style that seemed necessary for Black advancement. However, it soon became something entirely different in 1943, after servicemen attacked people wearing zoot suits in Los Angeles, California.
The following sections of “heritage,” “beauty,” “cool,” and “cosmopolitan” bring the circle to the modern day. “Heritage” celebrates Black fashion’s ties to traditional African dress by hybridizing it with Western tailoring. Similarly, “beauty” explores the art of femininity in masculine dress. While, “cool” examines the popularization of a cool style of dress. This section features the self-styling of jazz musicians and hip hop artists that are all undeniably cool. To conclude the exhibit with “cosmopolitan,” the curators reflected on the global scale of these artists, crossing symbolic and geographic barriers as they carry their dreams in their luggage.
Honoring this exhibit, the 2025 Met Gala held on Monday, May 5th, 2025 followed the theme of ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’ Co-chaired by Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, Pharrell Williams, and Anna Wintour, the event celebrated Black dandyism and its cultural significance. Celebrities embraced the theme with tailored ensembles reflecting historical and cultural allusions, honoring fashion trailblazers such as André Leon Talley and Virgil Abloh.
Today, Black dandyism is perhaps more present than ever—an evolving force shaped by artists, designers, and cultural historians. Figures like playwright and actor Jeremy O. Harris, photographer and performer Iké Udé, and historian Michael Henry Adams are leading a movement that breaks down menswear into its forms and reimagines it to create a feast for the eyes. Their work, like the garments showcased in Superfine, underscores that Black dandyism is more than fashion—it is resistance, reclamation, self-expression, and so much more. This is why the curators of the exhibit created twelve sections aiming to encapsulate it all. Black dandyism is a complex, nuanced practice that means something different to everyone or even to the same person in different moments. It’s a voice that resists easy definition—one that has spoken for centuries.
Black dandyism is a complex, nuanced practice that means something different to everyone or even to the same person in different moments. It’s a voice that resists easy definition—one that has spoken for centuries.