The Met’s Next Costume Institute Show Celebrates How Black Men Have Defined Fashion | Artnet News

This morning, the Costume Institute of the Met announced its spring exhibition. “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” will trace the history of the Black dandy. Black dandyism is a fashion and cultural movement among Black men that uses stylish, often flamboyant clothing and grooming, sometimes to the degree of obsessive perfection, as a form of self-expression and resistance.

In his closing remarks at the press event, the Met Gala co-chair Pharrell Williams said, “That’s what the Met Gala will celebrate: us. Our gift, our history, our resilience, and our beauty. Our style, our strength, and our vision. And to be clear, we are fine and dandy, and what a wonderful we are to behold. We are a museum.”

The exhibition, the followup to the current hit “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” is set to run from May 10th to October 26th, 2025. “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” will showcase clothing and ephemera from the 18th century to today, examining the significance of clothing and style to the formation of Black identities in the American diaspora. The last Costume Institute exhibit devoted entirely to menswear was “Men in Skirts” in 2003, making this year’s theme exceptionally rare.

Andrew Bolton, head curator of the Anna Wintour Costume Center at the Met, drew inspiration for the exhibit from the book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity by Monica Miller, Professor and Chair of Africana Studies at Columbia University’s Barnard College. Miller’s book identifies dandyism as a political construct as much as an aesthetic. “In the show, dandyism is a sartorial style that asks questions about identity, representation, mobility, race, class, gender, sexuality, and power,” said Miller during her speech at the Met during this morning’s announcement. She will guest curate the exhibit alongside Bolton.

Negro Drawings , Miguel Covarrubias (Mexican, 1904 – 1957), New York, London, A.A. Knopf, 1927 ; The Irene Lewisohn Costume Reference Library, The Metropolitan Museum of Art . Photo © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Visitors can expect to see historical and contemporary garments by American and European designers, alongside drawings, prints, decorative arts, ephemera, paintings, photographs, and film excerpts. These pieces have been selected for their significant role in shaping and interpreting Black identities and experiences over the centuries. A photography book by Tyler Mitchell will be published accompanying the exhibit.

Zoot suit, American, 1940s; Alfred Z. Solomon, Janet A. Sloane Endowment Fund, 2024 (2024.2a, b). Photo © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of the garments on display at the announcement was a striped navy twill zoot suit from the 1940’s. The zoot suit was a signature of black dandyism characterized by exaggerated proportions. This suit in particular had dramatically flared lapels, broad shoulders, long cuffs that went midway through the mannequin’s hands, and a strikingly cinched waist. In black communities, the zoot suit represented more than just fashion—it was a bold statement of self-expression, cultural pride, and resistance.

Ensemble, Virgil Abloh (American, 1980 – 2021) for LOUIS VUITTON (French, founded 1854) , fall/winter 2021 menswear; Courtesy Collection LOUIS VUITTON. Photo © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Bolton believes menswear is undergoing a revival. Not just thanks to black designers, but also to men of style. Besides Williams, other co-chairs include actor Colman Domingo, Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton, and A$AP Rocky. Basketball star Lebron James will be acting as honorary co-chair. 

“Kalinago Royal Coin #8” pendant, Dynasty and Soull Ogun (American, born 1984) for L’ENCHANTEUR (American, founded 2017), 2023; Courtesy L’ENCHANTEUR. Photo © The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Louis Vuitton will serve as the primary sponsor, with additional support from Instagram, the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation, Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe and Africa Fashion International, Tyler Perry, and Condé Nast. The event will follow the Met Gala, the Costume Institute’s main fundraiser, scheduled for May 5th.

“To me, art is an expression of our community,” said Pharrell Williams. “It’s where we support our history, it’s how we tell our stories.”