The Art of Black Dandyism on Fashion’s Biggest Night
This year's Met Gala theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, aims to capture the spirit of a historic style of dress.
When you think of the Met Gala, your mind naturally goes to the theatrics, audacity, and sheer flair involved, and rightfully so. But for the style of dress known as Black dandyism, the Gala has long been a time to make a statement of cultural resistance and sartorial triumph. Think Billy Porter’s Sun God ensemble by The Blonds for the 2019’s “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” featuring a bejeweled catsuit outfitted with 10-foot wings and a 24-karat gold headpiece.
On Oct. 9, the Metropolitan Museum of Art revealed the 2025 Met Gala Theme to be "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style." The first menswear style focused exhibition at the Costume Institute since 2003’s “Men In Skirts,” the installation holds particular significance within African American history. The theme is based on Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, a momentous text by professor, author, and scholar Monica L. Miller. “Monica’s research invites us to examine men’s fashion, not only in terms of race, but also in terms of class, gender, and sexuality” lead curator Andrew Bolton said in a video shared by The Met.
For many, the initial thought that came to mind upon hearing of the theme of choice was Andre Leon Talley. The late fashion editor-at-large was a revered figure in fashion and fit the mold of a Black dandy in every way, prompting social media users to call for him to get his dues at the upcoming Costume Institute event. There were also mentions of Dapper Dan, a highly sought-after designer by hip-hop artists in the 1980s and 1990s who blended the music genre and high fashion. These two men show us there is more than meets the eye with Black menswear and dandyism.
In 18th century Europe, people used the term “dandy” to describe someone - usually a man - who embraced aesthetics as a lifestyle, dedicating himself to appearance. For Black individuals, dandyism both celebrated their ambitions and aspirations and served as a limiting tool. Dandyism empowered Black men and women to reshape their identities—through style, gestures, irony, and wit—imagining new social and political possibilities in a world that sought to define them. “I really like to think about dandyism as not just about clothing, but I define it as clothing, gesture, and wit, and a combination of those three. [So] I’m really interested, not only in the clothing, but how the person in some ways occupies the clothing right, and so sort of makes it move through time and space," said Miller in a 2022 interview with the National Arts Club.
Miller spoke further in the interview on the impact of the Atlantic slave trade. “Europeans traded cloth and fancy items of dress for African captives. When transported to the Americas, those captives were stripped of their native dress and given plain coarse clothing. Early accounts of slave appearance emphasized that the enslaved traded for or saved up for small accessories that they could affix to their clothing to distinguish themselves from the masses: a button, a ribbon - something shiny. The enslaved often liberated clothing from their masters in order to be free and escape bondage.” Miller also serves as the exhibition's guest curator.
Black dandy style has transformed dramatically since its roots in the 18th century and the African diaspora, evolving through the zoot suits of Harlem Renaissance entertainers, the bold looks of 1970s Black action stars, and now the innovative designs of creatives like Pharrell Williams at Louis Vuitton. Black dandies didn’t simply wear their clothes—they embodied them, merging with each piece to become a living expression of style.
As we wait to see how the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute and the attendees manifest this theme, L’OFFICIEL looks back at the black dandies that have already graced the Met Gala steps.
