The Dapper and Dandy Street Style on the Opening Day of The Met’s “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” Exhibition

By Morgan EvansPhotography by Kya George

May 11, 2025

Superfine Tailoring Black Style exhibition Met Gala 2025 street style

On Saturday morning, just days after the annual 2025 Met Gala, the Metropolitan Museum of Art welcomed visitors to the Costume Institute’s opening day of “Superfine: Tailor Black Style.” With this year’s theme celebrating the cultural impact of Black dandyism on the past and present fashion landscape, “Superfine” attendees—including fashion industry creatives, tailors, designers and stylists alike—showered the Met steps with a colorful variety of on-theme outfits in honor of the exhibition.

It wasn’t hard to spot the “Superfine” ticket holders in the 10 a.m. entrance line that wrapped around the museum exterior. Following the “tailored for you” dress code of this year’s Met Gala, Saturday’s visitors, who traveled from down South and Harlem, arrived at the Met in their unique dandy best, showcasing a wide range of suited styles, accessorized with everything from bowties and custom cufflinks to African mudcloth, statement pieces from BIPOC designers and plenty, and plenty of hats. Chapeaus of all sorts from “Sunday Best” bowlers and traditional top hats to Southern straw hats and hand-me-down creations passed from one generation to another were modeled on the heads of stylish museum guests .

And just as this year’s Met Gala saw references to historic figures like Josephine Baker and Cab Calloway the red carpet, the looks seen at Saturday’s opening also honored iconic modern day dandies like André Leon Tally and Dapper Dan, as well as personal tributes to family members and hometown cultures.

It’s no surprise to see people dressed up to attend the Costume Institute’s seasonal exhibitions, but for those Black dandies visiting the Met for “Superfine,” it’s more than just a form of dress— it’s personal expression, self identity, and a celebration of a heritage tailored by and for those who know it best.

In celebration of the contemporary Black dandyism at the Costume Institute’s “Superfine” opening weekend, Vogue made it back to the steps of the Met to talk to people about their superfly, dandy ensembles.

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“I’m a stylist and designer from Ghana,” Frederick Yawagyei tells Vogue from the line. “This [outfit] is African meets European style, as you can see my suit, and then this is mudcloth from Mali. I’m trying to juxtapose two different materials, the texture, and the motif, with the European style. Then there’s my Prada sandals.”

Vintage and thrifting, for many, was the name of the game—and added a storytelling dimension to their looks. “My outfit is a collectsion of Poshmark acquired pieces,” shares Wilbur Pack Jr. “The hat is from France and the bow tie was a gift for my aunt for my 57th birthday. And I’m wearing the bow tie because my father showed me how to tie a bow tie when I was a kid. He passed away when I was 24 from cancer, and it’s an homage to him.”

“My outfit is all thrift and New York street shops,” adds Michael Morris Mason. “I got this jacket from a street shop and a friend of mine, she’s an artist, she actually [created] the back. My husband bought me the bag, it’s a Coach original and I got my boots from a shop in Vegas when I was traveling. My hat is from a vendor on the street at a festival in Brooklyn.”

Others did their research, taking inspiration from the history books as well as Monday’s red carpet, like Zach Lindsey, who looked to the pinstripe trend. “[The look} is a mixture of like highs and lows, so we have Helmet Lang for the top, Telfar for the hat, some GU on the shirt, Levi’s from the bottom and then Zara’s shoes with some different vintage jewelry mixed in throughout.”

“I’d done a little bit of research about the Met Gala, the ‘Superfine’ exhibit that’s opening, and the dandyism era, and I’ve been a fashionista for all my life,” says Renee Harrison. “I wanted to come looking like a dandy or my interpretation of that. I’m wearing a two-piece white suit, a pinstripe blouse, a green men’s necktie, and the matching black and white shoes.”

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A dandy can be bother opulent and practical, as proven by Dexter Fields. “Well, I knew I was going to be walking a lot, so I wanted to be casual but I wanted to be on theme,” he says. “I just got some inspiration from New York, but I’m from the South and I have a tailoring in my family. Color is really important, but classic things like the bowler hat, the penny loafer shoes, and the vintage brooches—they’re all like 70-years-old. And then there’s the Louis Vuitton and Yayoi Kusama bag from a few years ago.”

Color was continuously vibrant and joyous too among the day’s visitors. “I went a little bit more classic dandy,” says Armand Davaila of his look. “I’m an artist, so I have these cufflinks inspired by levels. And because it’s spring, I wanted to accent my outfit with brighter colors to contrast with my dark gray suit, and then I have my walking cane. I don’t need it, but I thought that added a little bit of flare that is so much a part of dandyism.”

And the details, the details! “I’ve got the French cut shirt from the Gentlemen’s Closet in Baltimore, Maryland and this pantsuit is by Miss Beverly Passard, who’s out of Laurel, Maryland,” Nicole Watson says. “Then I have my Cise ‘Protect Black People’ bag. Also, a little pink Gucci accent—a little nod to the sorority: Alpha Kappa Alpha.”

Winthorpe “Skee” Spence adds: “The outfit shirt is Armani and the suit is from a clothing shop in Greenbelt, Maryland called Why Not? This pocket square, I personally made. I make cufflinks and haberdasheries for men and women, so this is one of them. The bag is from the motherland, of course, and some pink suede shoes and a nice straw hat to top it off, also from Why Not?”

“I wanted to represent myself in the spirit of dandyism ,and I feel like I’m a true embodiment of that,” says Nana Kwasi Wiafe, who is a Ghanaian model, stylist, and founder of lifestyle brand Very Ghanaian. “The idea of the brand is to inspire patriotism, identity, love, and inspire African unity. I represent that and I stand for that. My rings represent authority, purity, peace, and fertility, as well. I wanted to be very calm, very subtle, but also represent myself.”

When Brenda McLaughlin was thinking of what to wear to visit “Superfine,” she thought, “I need to put on something that’ll pop.” Her tall red hat topped off her ensemble, both a dapper piece of fashion and a narrative emblem—exactly what “Superfine” is all about. “I take after my mom's style, because she was a stylist, so I’m just glad to carry on that tradition,” she says. “I know Dapper Dan—I’ve known him for years because I live in Harlem. I know his humble beginnings and to see him [at the Met] is phenomenal. Also, André Leon Tally—he was a member of my church, so this is not a coincidence. This was supposed to happen.”