The 2025 Met Gala, themed Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, will celebrate the fashion and cultural contributions of Black men throughout history. Co-chaired by prominent figures such as Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, Anna Wintour, and LeBron James, the event will also launch an exhibition curated by Monica Miller, professor of Africana Studies at Barnard College, and Andrew Bolton from the Met Costume Institute.
Unknown (American). (Studio Portrait), 1940s-50s. Gelatin silver print. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Twentieth-Century Photography Fund, 2015 (2015.330)
The theme is inspired by Monica Miller’s influential book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. Her work examines the historical importance of clothing in shaping Black identities across the Atlantic diaspora. Black dandyism, a central focus of the exhibition, is highlighted as a powerful form of self-expression and resistance. During times of enslavement, when Black individuals were often dehumanized and commodified, their use of fashion became a means to challenge notions of personhood and humanity. As Miller explains, fashion became a “strategy and a tool” to reimagine identity and assert individuality.
The exhibit will trace this evolution from Black people being stylized as luxury objects—symbols of wealth for slaveholders—to becoming autonomous trendsetters whose influence shapes global fashion. Through this lens, Superfine will explore how Black men used and continue to use fashion to assert their agency, dignity, and creativity.
“Afrikan Boy Sittin’,” 2013. by Hassan Hajjaj Photograph: Hassan Hajjaj
Young Man In Plaid, NYC (1991) Photograph: Jeffrey Henson-Scales
Au cours d'une soirée (1964) Photograph: Courtesy CAAC - The Pigozzi Collection, Geneva/Malick Sidibé
Given the Met’s past controversies regarding race and inclusivity in its exhibitions, the Gala presents an opportunity to confront these issues while honoring the profound impact of Black style in a world that has historically marginalized it. It will be a complex yet crucial reflection on how clothing and self-fashioning have helped redefine Black identities and reshape global culture.
Comments