2025 Met Gala Theme: The History Behind Black Dandyism

The Costume Institute Gala, commonly known as The Met Gala, is held annually on the first Monday in May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Recently, on October 9, 2024, the theme for the 2025 gala was revealed as “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” This theme is inspired by Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity which explores the history and cultural significance of the black dandy.

Black dandyism first appeared in England during the 18th century and was initially imposed on black men, especially those working as “luxury slaves” in wealthy households. As the transatlantic slave trade expanded throughout the 19th century, dandyism was becoming more and more popular among slaves across Europe and the Americas as a form of self-expression and resistance. Due to this style’s rise in popularity and threatening nature, American media had made multiple attempts to suppress and ridicule it, such as blackface performances. In the early 20th century, dandyism was revived during the Harlem Renaissance movement to embrace black identity through various art forms in response to the harsh segregation such as the Jim Crow laws in southern states. Today, many notable celebrities such as A$AP Rocky, Pharell Williams, Tyler the Creator, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, take inspiration from the black dandy style.