“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” is the upcoming exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute, running on May 10 through October 26, 2025, following the Met Gala on May 5. The upcoming show will explore the story of Black dandyism as a sartorial declaration and a tool for pushing (and examining) social and political change, both historically and in contemporary society. This year, visitors can expect fewer classic, floor-length ball gowns and instead will see a focus on the “Tailored for You” dress code, which highlights menswear through the lens of Black dandyism.
Photo: Zora Sicher / Courtesy of Diotima
According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s website on the exhibition, “Through a presentation of garments and accessories, paintings, photographs, decorative arts, and more, from the 18th century to today, the exhibition interprets the concept of dandyism as both an aesthetic and a strategy that allowed for new social and political possibilities.” You’ll have to wait until May 10th to see this in real life, but there is a way to shop, browse, and discover a variety of BIPOC-owned and -led brands and their interpretations of tailoring.
The Best of Black Designers Edit:
- The Modern Midi: Martine Rose jockstrap midi skirt, $465
- The Silk Maxi Dress: Christopher John Rogers Sailor silk and wool-blend maxi dress, $2,095
- The Floral Wrap Skirt: Wales Bonner floral print satin wrap skirt, $945
- The Pintucked Button-Up: LaQuan Smith fitted pintuck one-button button-up shirt, $1,125
- The Powder Pink Blazer: Sergio Hudson single-breasted wool blazer, $1,895
- The Printed Trouser: Theophilio leopard one-seam trousers, $400
- The Embellished Suit Vest: Diotima long tower wool vest, $1,295
- The Fresh Jacket: Tove Aster asymmetric crepe blazer $1,365
- The Pinstripe Mini: Off-White pinstripe wool-blend draped minidress, $2,015
The intensity with which each BIPOC designer expresses themselves varies, but it is a kaleidoscopic reflection of Black culture and style today. Modern tailoring techniques span from crafty embellishments à la Diotima to high-shine and bold color from Wales Bonner—the details are as diverse as the diaspora. There are high-octane styles stemming from Edvin Thompson’s Theophilio—available in the form of metallic denim shirting and printed trousers. For the upgraded minimalist, Camille Perry and Holly Wright signature pieces range from asymmetric blazers to tiger-striped pencil skirts, for the office and beyond. Androgyny plays a factor in Martine Rose, while femininity is dissected through an unabashed use of color and volume in all of Christopher John Rogers’s collections.
Ahead, 36 ultra-fine, ultra-tailored pieces from BIPOC designers to shop ahead of the Met Gala and the Costume Exhibit.
