In a time when diversity is under fire, leave it to the mind of Anna Wintour to push the boundaries at this year’s 2025 exhibition for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The spring 2025 exhibition kicks off annually on the first Monday in May, with an event known as the Met Gala, where parades of celebrities ascend the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to celebrate the theme. And this year, Ms. Wintour—alongside co-chairs Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, and Pharrell Williams—are putting Black history and fashion at the forefront. This year’s theme is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” inspired by the work of Monica L. Miller, author of the book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity and chair of Africana Studies at Barnard College.
What Exactly Is Black Dandyism?
In her book, Ms. Miller describes Black dandyism as “a strategy and a tool to rethink identity, to reimagine the self in a different context. To really push a boundary—especially during the time of enslavement, to really push a boundary on who and what counts as human, even.”
The concept of the Black Dandy emerged during the 18th century, when it was imposed on black men in Europe.
As a result of the Atlantic slave trade, a trend of fashionably dressed or dandified servants, who were now free, was becoming evident. And enslaved black people came to understand the power of clothing and style and signaling hierarchies of race, class and gender.
The term “Black Dandy” was used to describe men who were extremely devoted to aesthetics and approached it as a lifestyle, attitude and self-assurance. When used by Blacks, the term was a way to think positively about their people and ambitions. But when used by whites, the term held a negative connotation against Blacks regarding the very same aspirations.
Over time, Dandyism gave Black men and women an opportunity to use clothing as a way to transform their identities and imagine new ways of embodying political and social possibilities, illustrating the transformation from being enslaved to become stylized. This transformation signified wealth and status built to empower fashion-forward individuals as global trendsetters through the stories of their styles.
Today, those contemporary incarnations are all about the styling of Black diasporic identity.
On Exhibit Starting May 10th
The exhibit, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, is organized into 12 sections, each representing a characteristic that defines dandy style: Ownership, Presence, Distinction, Disguise, Freedom, Champion, Respectability, Jook (as defined in Zora Neale Hurston’s “Characteristics of Negro Expression”), Heritage, Beauty, Cool, and Cosmopolitanism.
“Superfine” will feature garments, paintings, photographs and more from artists including Tanda Francis, Torkwase Dyson, Tyler Mitchell and André Grenard Matswa—all exploring the indelible style of Black dandies, from the 18th century through to the present day—and will be on exhibit, from May 10 until October 26, 2025.
Throughout the exhibit halls, one-of-a kind artifacts will be displayed, such as photos and work of W.E.B. Du Bois; originals by Zora Neale Hurston and Nikki Giovanni; archival issues of Jet and Ebony magazines—not to mention authentic and historic fashions worn by Frederick Douglass and within the Harlem Renaissance. Ending up in modern times with various suiting and wardrobe pieces from André Leon Talley and Dapper Dan, as well as select designs by Virgil Abloh.
What is the Met Gala?
The Met Gala is an annual, invitation-only charity event and fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, and it serves as a celebration of the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibition. The event is renowned for its haute couture, elaborate themes, extravagant red carpet appearances and the presence of high-profile celebrities and fashion industry leaders.
The cost to attend what is popularly regarded as the world’s most prestigious and glamorous fashion event? In 2024, it was $75,000, up from $50,000 in 2023.
Established in 1948 by publicist Eleanor Lambert, the Met Galas was a fundraiser for the newly founded Costume Institute and also served as a way to mark the opening of their annual exhibit. The cost back then was $50.
In 1995, American Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour—who now also serves as the Global Chief Content Officer and Artistic Director at Condé Nast, overseeing all their publications—became the Met Gala’s chairperson. She took the event to another level and grew the guest list to include celebrities from across the worlds of fashion, entertainment, big business and professional sports: all while making the event one of the largest, if not the largest, fundraising event in NYC. The 2024 Met Gala raised $26,000,000, a record for the event.
This year’s Gala dress code is “Tailored For You.”
The host committee this year is made up of André 3000, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Jordan Casteel, Dapper Dan, Doechii, Ayo Edebiri, Edward Enninful, Jeremy O. Harris, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Rashid Johnson, Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, Audra McDonald, Janelle Monáe, Jeremy Pope, Angel Reese, Sha’Carri Richardson, Tyla, Usher and Kara Walker.
The exhibition is made possible by Louis Vuitton, with support provided by Instagram, George Lucas and Melody Hobson’s Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation, Africa Fashion International (founded by Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe), Tyler Perry’s The Perry Foundation and, of course, Condé Naste.
The Importance Of This Theme In These Time
While each year there is a different Gala theme covering a specific angle of couture, Black Dandyism seems to come at a time where representation and diversity are being scrutinized in education, across corporations and even at publicly funded museums like the Met.
This theme is a reminder of the power of representation and the opportunities that lie in creating and elevating diverse perspectives and storytelling. Economically, diversity is a proven driver of innovation and profitability. As America’s demographics continue to evolve, it’s estimated that Black Americans’ spending power sits between $1.4 trillion and $1.8 trillion annually, a powerful economic bloc that’s comparable to the gross domestic products of Mexico, Canada and Italy.
Tapping into this reality, as a way to highlight the fashion history of this consumer market, is not only smart but also necessary, to inspire the next generation of prominent Black fashion designers who have made significant impacts on the industry in recent years—from LaQuan Smith and Telfar Clemens to those who have paved the way in past decades, such as Tracy Reese and the late Patrick Kelly.
This year’s Gala and exhibit are as much about visibility as they are about the vitality of Black culture, past, present and future. And for that, bravo, Ms. Wintour.