Superfine Style: How Black Men Have Used Fashion as Resistance, Pride, and Reclamation

In 2025, the Costume Institute's spring exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, turns the spotlight on a centuries-old tradition-Black dandyism. This year's Met Gala dress code, "Tailored for You," echoes the exhibition's celebration of how Black men have used fashion not just to dazzle, but to defy.

Black dandyism refers to the flamboyant, sharply tailored style adopted by many Black men throughout history-not merely as a fashion statement, but as a form of resistance, pride, and complex identity work. Dandies are not just about elegance; they are about crafting a public image that asserts dignity, sophistication, and autonomy. For Black men, this has long been political.

As scholar and guest curator Monica L. Miller explains, this story begins with dehumanisation. In her seminal book Slaves to Fashion, Miller notes that enslaved Africans arrived in America "physically and metaphorically naked," denied the right to self-expression. Their clothing, or lack thereof, was used to erase individuality. Yet, even within these constraints, enslaved individuals resisted through subtle alterations-buttons, ribbons, tailoring. These quiet acts of rebellion laid the groundwork for dandyism.

The exhibition, Superfine, named after a luxurious finely woven wool, spans 300 years of Black male style, showcasing garments, portraits, and personal histories that highlight how fashion has long been a canvas for emotional expression and political power. It highlights 12 themes of dandyism including Heritage, Beauty, Cool, and Respectability.

Among the historic figures featured is Frederick Douglass, whose refined appearance in portraits was an intentional contrast to the racist caricatures of Black men in the 19th century. Similarly, Julius Soubise, a formerly enslaved man in 18th-century Britain, turned forced flamboyance into subversive elegance-adding red-heeled shoes, lace, and perfume to the outfits imposed by his white benefactor. His look unsettled racial and gender norms, becoming both satire and defiance.

Even survival has been stitched into Black fashion history. In 1848, Ellen and William Craft used dandyism as disguise-Ellen, light-skinned, dressed as a white male planter, while William played her enslaved valet. Their daring escape from Georgia is one of the most iconic tales of using style as liberation.

In contemporary times, Black celebrities continue this tradition. This year's Met Gala co-chairs include Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, and Pharrell Williams, all known for their unique and bold fashion. Their presence underscores that today's Black dandyism, while celebrated in high fashion, remains a powerful statement on identity, visibility, and history.

As Miller puts it: "Clothes can contain a lot of emotion." For Black men across generations, style has been armor, language, resistance, and art. The superfine threads of their tailored garments continue to weave a story that is far more than skin-deep.