From the natural, inherent elegance of the blacks of the United States, anyone who walks through Harlem on a Sunday morning, or any holiday night can be attest. Apart from the carving or the colors of the clothes, sometimes impossible – magenta, lavender, Lima green -, the parade of elegant through its streets invites you to think that there is something intrinsic in the race: – The facts, the gesture, the bearing – that this year constitutes the theme of the exhibition of the Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of New York (Met) and. Superfine: Tailoring Black Style (Superfino: black style tailoring), the title of this call, revolves around a style that combines the show of creative and well -made male clothing and the attitude of the one who carries it.
As is traditional every first Monday in May, the so -called Fashion Super Bowl, with permission from the Oscar, has highlighted the contributions, not always appreciated, of black culture to the way of contemporary dress. The gala coanffations are perfect examples of that allurethe French word that defines the wake that someone leaves: actor Colman Domingo, Formula One pilot Lewis Hamilton ,, the singer -songwriter and rapper Pharrell Williams and, of course ,. The Basketball star LeBron James, honorary coanfrerion, declined his assistance for an injury.
It was a black and white gala, with metallic brushstrokes and a few dramatic touches in red, such as those of Teyana Taylor or Edvin Thompson. The Hamilton co -elbitations, of Immaculate White, including the beret, and Sunday, with blue cape and chapel collapsed in silver under which a funny geometric tailor was hidden, were among the first to arrive, to be epattered immediately by the appearance, in a virginal white suit, Zendaya, with a wide wing hat. Diana Ross, also white, had embroidered in the dress the names of her children and grandchildren. It was the same color that another of the coanfitations of the gala, Pharrell, with 15,000 pearls and 400 hours of work for his jacket.
Apart from the Gigi Hadid Dorado tribute to Josephine Baker, the first African -American one who starred in a film, and counted color stridency, Louis Vuitton, who copatrocina the gala and for which Pharrell designs, was the most watched mark. Lisa, Sabrina, Doechii or Jeremy Allen White opted for firm’s designs, but Chanel’s creations were also seen (Jennie Kim, reinterpreting the male label) or Sarah Burton for Givenchy (Cynthia Erivo). Several of the attendees posed with the creators of their clothes, a tradition in this gala: Megan Thee Stallion with Michael Kors, Lana del Rey with Alessandro Michele (now in Valentino) and Doja Cat with Marc Jacobs. Also the Spanish Rosalía, along with Olivier Rousteing, from Balmain.
Men and women played with the formulation of the tailor suit in all possible variants, with Levita, with whales in the hip or with polison, such as the architectural in the black and white model of Thom Browne who wore Zoe Saldaña. Bicolor was also the word of striped honor, topped by a curious halo -like corolla, by Demi Moore. And the dress of one of the surprises of the night, the former Vice President Kamala Harris (although the walk and the spotlights of the carpet), of the. “Art has always had a significant impact not only on culture, but also on our policies and politics,” he told Vogue The former democratic presidential candidate.
Bad Bunny, brown suit, white shoes and a large travel bag, wearing a typical port of Puerto Rico called turkey, customized. His suit, from Prada, required a couple of months of work. Another great Latin representation, Rosalia, dazzled with a second white skin dress. “All Olivier inspiration [Rousteing]. I am his mannequin. ”The designer, by his side, explained:“ Inspiration is the made to measurethat is, the tailored fact, and the mannequin where everything happens. It is the principle of creation, which is the mannequin. ”The creator wore a sewing machine as a bag, a mischief similar to Moore, with that puppy -shaped accessory.
In front of an elegant Anne Hathaway, with a black and gray stripe skirt and a white shirt inspired by André Leon Talley, or Dua Lipa, in rigorous black and a certain twenty -year -old style, highlighted the sugar cotton pink from Shakira’s dress or the faded Madonna cream suit, pure in ristre.
First exhibition of black creators
This year is the first exhibition of the suit institute focused exclusively on black designers, and the first in more than 20 years dedicated to male fashion. Unlike previous samples, dedicated AO, this will allow to know how the transplanted Togolese to Brooklyn Jacques Agbobly, whose workshop has not yet fulfilled a five years, and that will hang two designs in the sample, which has been presented on the morning of this Monday in New York and will open its doors to the public this Saturday.
In the presentation of the exhibition, in the morning, dressed in a flattering faine and a blazer Magenta, Domingo said that his elegance is due to “the inspiration of three gentlemen A close: my stepfather, my biological father and my brother. Dandis
The theme of the sample and the gala is inspired by the book by Monica L. Miller Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity (Fashion slaves: black dandism and the styling of the identity of the black diaspora), which documented the appearance and evolution of the black dandis. “It is very exciting to show the designs of young and emerging designers,” says Miller, guest commissioner and professor of African studies at Barnard College. The exhibition covers the black style over several centuries, but the conductive thread is how designers have expressed that ethos Throughout history, the aspiration of “above all dressed in elegant fashion”, and, at the same time, powerfully occupy a public space that has historically been marginalized.
Hours later, under a fine and persistent rain that went through water to the hundreds of curious congregated before the museum, the curator described the parade “extraordinary, surreal and fantastic.” “I never imagined something like that when I wrote the book,” he said. “I am delighted, curious and inspired, I am very grateful,” he added, noting that the gala revolves around celebration and reflection.
It is divided into 12 sections, and starts with two books used by ancient slaves, until reaching contemporary pieces, some of which establish a dialogue with geography and history: for example, the silk set embroidered with Cauri crystals and shells, traditionally used as currency in Africa, of the British designer Grace Wales Bonner. There is no lack of variations on two modern classics, the jean and the tracksuit, and not a section dedicated to the costumes under which the fugitive slaves were hidden.
The most contemporary section plays with gender roles, with unequivocally masculine cut jackets on female mannequins. Through garments, accessories, paintings, photographs and decorative arts, from the 18th century to the present day, the exhibition travels through the history of the US of slavery to abolitionism, and reflects the beginnings of a middle and high black class in the country. A group of racist cartoons in a showcase contrasts to photographs of epitome of dandism or the elegant activist Frederick Douglass.
The 2025 gala has raised the record figure of 31 million dollars, according to Max Hollein, general director of the MET, being the first time that the collection of funds for the museum’s suit institute exceeds the 30 million barrier (and well above the 26 harvested last year). In a reading between the lines, the MET’s commitment also contrasts with the efforts of the administration of Republican Donald Trump to eliminate the mentions of the race, sexuality or the genre of schools, artistic programs and labor policies; the so -called criteria or policies ofi (acronym for diversity, equity and inclusion).
