Black Dandyism in Tonight's Met Gala

Black culture will be on full display on one of fashion's biggest nights

Tonight marks the 77th Annual Met Gala. Celebrities from all over the world have flown into New York City for the highly anticipated fundraising event. Tickets are prohibitively expensive and limited, so the vast majority of the general public will have to watch from home. The Met Gala has transformed into something that people from different backgrounds and interest have taken a liking to and can enjoy together by watching their favorite celebrities in attendance.

Pharrell Williams, Anna Wintor, and Lewis Hamilton, who are three of this year’s Met Gala co-chairs. Photo courtesy of

This Year’s Theme

While the actual theme of this year’s gala is Superfine: Black Tailoring Style, it’s meant to be a nod towards some of the biggest impact on fashion black men have had, and dandyism is squarely at the center of this motif. The idea of dandyism dates back to the 18th Century in The Caribbean and England. Some formerly enslaved black men would go out of their way to make sure that they were impeccably dressed whenever they stepped out of the house. This wasn’t about assimilation. Rather, it was a tactic—one of the few ways they could fight back against the dehumanizing perception that Black people were unworthy of respect and nice things. This idea persisted and began to get significantly more traction during the Harlem Renaissance. Prominent figures like Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Langston Hughes, and many more would always be spotted in well-tailored suits as a continued act of defiance. This would eventually make its way to modern day fashion and influence the styles of people like Janelle Monae, Fonzworth Bently, Andre 3000 from OutKast, etc.

Over the last few days, there’s been significant controversy and outrage around this year’s invite list. It’s now obvious that white, female influencers who don’t have nearly as much of a contribution to the fashion world are getting the chance to attend over people like Wisdom Kaye, a black man who quite literally is a modern day dandy. He has millions of followers across social media and has worked with plenty of the world’s most recognizable fashion brands. The influencer industry has been under fire for quite some time as they prioritize certain demographics over others, and this is yet another example. We can only hope that in the future, there’s more thought put into how they curate the type of people who can truly embody each year’s theme.

Characteristics of Dandyism

While dandies over time have have changed, retired outfits only to bring them back, etc., some of the thematic elements of what it represents have always remained the same:

• Rebellion & Resistance - There was already a flood of negative cartoons and images of black people. Dressing up and looking a specific way forced society to take a better look at them to realize they should also be valued and shown respect.

• Self-Definition - If black people were being viewed as less than, it also meant that there is an assumption we didn’t have the psychological means to define who we are as well as our personality. Dandyism pushes back strongly against this notion, reminding people then and today that we can have unique thoughts of ourselves that translates into how we dress.

• Subversion of Power - Dressing up in nice clothes has always been a marker of someone who potentially of a higher class. Again, this wasn’t to assimilate, but rather a sign that black people can be part of a higher class too.

• Personal Expression - while dandyism might be an overall theme, there is significant room for ways to be unique in what you wear and how you wear it. I’d liken this to modern day streetwear. You can tell that someone is in an overall category, but the range is incredibly wide.

• Cultural Significance - this ideology isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. While there are some elements that are constant, it’s so cool to see how dandyism influences current styles of what’s relevant/hot right now.

Dapper Dan at a previous Met Gala. Photo courtesy of Vogue

This Year’s Co-Chairs

• Coleman Domingo - he’s not a new actor by any means, but he’s definitely having a moment right now. Coleman has been on several recent, successful Netflix shows and movies (The Madness and The Four Seasons) and consistently appears as one of the best-dressed people on any red carpet.

• Lewis Hamilton - He’s the one of the most successful F1 drivers and easily the most stylish one. Lewis has been pivotal in ushering fashion into the world of racing. He’s currently a brand ambassador for Dior and Luluemon and previously worked with Tommy Hilfiger. Part of the Ferrari racing family, he’s also modeled the car brand’s clothing line.

• A$AP Rocky - Rocky has been focusing his creative side outside of music for quite some time. He was recently appointed to the Creative Director seat at Ray Ban and will be releasing his first line of sunglasses soon. For more information, free to check out the profile I did on him here.

• Pharrell Williams - Pharrell made his introduction into fashion by launching Billionaire Boys Club and its sub-line, ICECREAM, with a famous Japanese designer named Nigo in 2003. He rebought a stake in 2017, but most of his focus right now is on high fashion as the Creative Director of Louis Vuitton Men’s. Ironically enough I’ll be writing a piece about him in the near future so stay tuned for that.

• Anna Wintour - As the biggest name within the fashion world on almost any list, Anna has been the editor of Vogue America since 1988. She’s held a spot almost every year on the co-chair list sine 1995 and has been pivotal in shaping the Gala to what we know today.

  

  Coleman Domingo. Photo courtesy of Vogue

Regardless of how much stock you put into how you dress, or how you define your own style, I’d encourage everyone to check out the Gala tonight. This is an event you definitely won’t want to miss.