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Black History
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Two men stand together in a black-and-white photo. The man in front wears sunglasses, a patterned coat, and a beret. The man behind wears glasses and a jacket, exuding a serious, contemplative mood. Dark buildings silhouette the background.
Everything’s for Real: Recollections of Black Style
My search for meaning in Black style began as a search through ancestry to reveal beauty and complexity over time and across traditions of expression.
Grace Wales Bonner
August 15
Young Black man standing in a body of water, upright looking up at the sky. He wears a traditional African attire, while one hand extends above him.
Sartorial Groundings: African Design at the Heart of Black Elegance
How does contemporary fashion engage with African dress traditions to explore Black identity?
Idelle Taye
August 8
Cover of "Dan Burley's Original Handbook of Harlem Jive" shows a stylized person in a plaid suit and hat, set against bold, vintage typography.
Jive: Vocabulary as Style
Discover the foundational history of jive culture in the United States as a form of expression.
Brent Hayes Edwards
July 18
Porcelain figurine depicting an 18th-century scene with a servant holding a tray of cups and a seated aristocratic woman in floral attire, against a blue background.
But What of His Fashionability, His Beauty, His Blackness?
Adrienne L. Childs
July 1
Five people stand on a stage, smiling warmly. Behind them is a large screen displaying "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style." The atmosphere is welcoming.
Video
Exhibition Preview Conversation—“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at The Billie Holiday Theatre
This panel conversation explores the creative entrepreneurship of Black fashion designers.
May 27
Four individuals are seated on stage in a panel discussion. Behind them, a screen shows "Superfine Tailoring Black Style" and an elegant fashion image. The setting appears formal and thoughtful.
Video
Exhibition Preview Conversation—“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at The Victoria Theater
This panel conversation explores the enduring legacy of tailoring and dandyism, and the cultural influence of Harlem as a center for Black fashion, art, and creativity.
May 27
Four mannequins display vibrant fashion in a showroom. Outfits include red satin, yellow silk, blue sequins, and green sequined pants, creating a bold and stylish atmosphere.
Video
Exhibition Tour—Superfine: Tailoring Black Style
Join Monica L. Miller, Guest Curator and Professor and Chair of African Studies, Barnard College, Columbia University, on a tour of the exhibition Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, with an introduction from Andrew Bolton, Curator in Charge of The Costume Institute. The Costume Institute’s spring 2025 exhibition presents a cultural and historical examination of Black style over three hundred years through the concept of dandyism. Through a presentation of garments and accessories, paintings, photographs, decorative arts, and more, from the 18th century to today, Superfine interprets this sartorial practice as both an aesthetic and a strategy that allowed for new social and political possibilities.
Monica L. Miller and Andrew Bolton
May 22
Cropped studio portrait of a man in a pinstripe suit, tie, and hat
“No Indifferent Appearance”
How is Black dandyism integral to Black identity and the history of fashion?
Monica L. Miller
May 14
Alethea Pace bends downwards, with both arms outstretched against a cloudy, blue sky
Video
Alethea Pace: between wave and water | Civic Practice Partnership 2023–2025
During her CPP artist residency, Alethea Pace collaborated alongside her community to reclaim the history of the Enslaved African Burial Ground in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx.
March 27
A smiling woman, her face turned downward towards an open book.
Video
The Free Black Women’s Library: Pretty Little Brick | Civic Practice Partnership 2023–2025
During her CPP residency, artist OlaRonke Akinmowo challenged herself to create a writers collective as an expansion of the mission of The Free Black Women’s Library.
March 12