This May, The Costume Institute at The Met will unveil Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, a landmark exhibition exploring the evolution of Black fashion and identity over the past 300 years through the lens of dandyism. The show runs from May 10 through October 26, 2025, at The Met Fifth Avenue, Gallery 999, and is free with Museum admission.

Spanning from the 18th century to the present day, the exhibition traces how Black communities across the Atlantic diaspora—particularly in the U.S. and Europe—have harnessed the power of dress as a tool for self-expression, cultural pride, and resistance. It examines the emergence of Black dandyism within a historical context shaped by slavery, colonialism, and imperialism, highlighting how fashion became a means of asserting individuality and status in societies structured by exclusion.

Featuring garments, accessories, paintings, photographs, and decorative arts, Superfine is divided into 12 thematic sections such as “Champion,” “Respectability,” “Heritage,” and “Cosmopolitanism.” These themes underscore how personal style has long been used by Black individuals not only to distinguish themselves but to challenge prevailing norms around race, class, gender, and sexuality.

Superfine: Tailoring Black Style promises to be both visually rich and intellectually compelling—affirming fashion as a deeply political and expressive art form.

🔖 #SuperfineStyle
📍 May 10–October 26, 2025
📍 The Met Fifth Avenue, Gallery 999
🎟 Free with Museum admission