For the first time in its 88-year history, the Costume Institute at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is dedicating an entire exhibition to the theme of race. Titled Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, the new fashion exhibition explores the history, heritage, elegance and resistance embedded in Black dandyism — while giving voice to those long excluded from the gala’s spotlight.
Curated by guest curator Monica Miller, a professor of Africana Studies at Barnard College, alongside the Institute’s chief curator Andrew Bolton, the show marks a significant cultural shift.
The exhibition’s theme extended to the red carpet. The dress code, Tailored For You, paid homage to tailoring while inviting personal interpretation. Absent was Beyonce, arguably the most influential Black performer working today, due to her ongoing tour.
But former U.S. presidential candidate Kamala Harris made a rare appearance in a custom Off-White gown by Ib Kamara. Across the museum’s halls, bespoke suits evoked personal and collective Black history.
Miller, author of the 2009 book “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity”, frames dandyism not as a fashion trend but as a response to erasure. Originating in the U.S. as a form of self-definition in a society where “Blackness” was defined by outsiders, Black dandyism imagined new social and political possibilities. The exhibit traces how Black men's fashion — particularly dandyism — has shaped identity over more than 300 years.
The show fills 12 gallery spaces with designer garments, artworks, photos and films, arranged around themes like heritage, dignity and beauty. The term superfine, Miller explains, refers both to finely woven wool — a symbol of luxury — and a heightened emotional sensitivity: “a reminder that clothing can carry deep feelings.”
But this is more than a fashion display — it’s a political statement. Writing in Harper’s Bazaar, fashion editor and Garmento founder Jeremy Lewis called the show “an act of resistance.”
“The timing of this year’s costume exhibition is auspicious, as the Trump administration works to implement a neo-fascist and white supremacist agenda in the American government,” he wrote. “A fashion exhibition cannot save the world or solve racial inequality, but it can be an education.”
Lewis’s article traced the evolution of Black style through jazz of the 1930s, modern hip-hop and artists like Stevie Wonder, Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell Williams — figures who helped move Black music and fashion from the margins into the mainstream.
Reflecting on Miller’s argument that the Black dandy is far more political than his white counterpart, Lewis wrote: “I suddenly realized that this new spotlight on the archetype is more prudent than I had initially thought. Not only does it illuminate a marginalized history, but it elucidates what is happening in fashion right now. Over the last decade, Black culture, particularly hip-hop culture, has reshaped fashion in its own image
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Red carpet highlights
Rihanna wears Marc Jacobs
In a headline-making late arrival, Rihanna revealed her third pregnancy while walking the carpet alongside her partner, musician A$AP Rocky, one of the evening’s co-hosts. The 37-year-old singer wore a tailored look by Marc Jacobs: a cropped black wool jacket, a pinstriped skirt, a polka-dot satin tie and a wide-brim hat co-designed with Stephen Jones.
Zendaya wears Louis Vuitton
Earlier this year, actress Zendaya confirmed her engagement to actor Tom Holland. On the red carpet, she appeared in what many dubbed a “wedding suit” — a custom white three-piece ensemble by Pharrell Williams for Louis Vuitton, referencing Bianca Jagger’s iconic 1971 look.
Nicole Kidman wears Balenciaga
Nicole Kidman wore a black strapless gown by Balenciaga that echoed the lines of a tailored tuxedo. But it was her new hair — brown roots contrasting with her signature blonde — that sparked the most conversation.
Her stylist, Israeli hairdresser Adir Abergel, said on Instagram that the inspiration was a cropped cut capturing the “essence of dandyism.”
Bad Bunny wears Prada
Bad Bunny took a more political turn with a 1970s-inspired brown wool suit by Prada and a traditional pava hat made of braided raffia — a nod to Puerto Rican farmers and his cultural roots.
A$AP Rocky wears AWGE
As a third co-host, A$AP Rocky embodied Harlem style from the 1990s with modern Black dandyism. But what really drew attention was his custom diamond-studded umbrella by Bulgari — weighing in at 90 carats — which resembled a rifle from certain angles, likely a reference to his recent acquittal in a high-profile shooting case.
Miley Cyrus wears Alaia
Miley Cyrus loosely followed the evening’s theme in a daring black crocodile leather crop top and pleated black maxi skirt by Peter Mulier for Alaia.
Madonna wears Tom Ford
Madonna attempted a bold return in an ivory suit by Haider Ackermann for Tom Ford but critics said it fell flat. Her act of puffing a cigar — unlit — on the Met steps was widely dismissed as a tired provocation.
Charli XCX wears Ann Demeulemeester
Charli XCX added some edge with a sultry look by Stefano Gallici, the artistic director of Ann Demeulemeester since 2023 — though it wasn’t considered one of her stronger red carpet moments.
