Latest news with #Florsheim
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EXCLUSIVE: Florsheim to Release Premium Men's Shoe Range Made With Horween Leather
Florsheim is launching a new elevated product line for fall in collaboration with Chicago-based Horween Leather Co. According to the Weyco Group Inc.-owned footwear brand, it is combining Horween's premium Essex leather with three core Florsheim styles. Launching next month, the range features the Renegade Lux Boot, the Heist Lux Sneaker and the Vibe Lux Oxford in both light and dark leathers. More from WWD Hey Dude Joins Forces With Hello Kitty for a Playful Collaboration EXCLUSIVE: Chipotle and Wonderskin Revive Fan-favorite 'Lipotle' Lip Stain Kit Why More Luxury Chinese Home Brands Are on the Horizon Florsheim noted that the inspiration was a combination of heritage design, the store of aged leather and the beauty of Chicago's industrial roots. From vintage-inspired aesthetics to the charm of worn-in character, 'each detail celebrates the enduring relationship between craftsmanship and wearability,' the company said. John Florsheim, president and chief operating officer of Weyco Group Incorporated, said in a statement that he is excited to place some of Horween's leathers 'front and center' in the brand's 'most loved' designs. 'At Florsheim, we have stayed committed to creating high-quality shoes that not only look great but also stand the test of time,' Florsheim said. 'When working with Horween's leather you can tell the feel, the durability, and how it will develop character over time is superb. Horween's leathers bring an integrity to our designs that resonates with the Florsheim legacy and aligns with what today's customer is looking for.' Arnold 'Skip' Horween, president of Horween Leather Company, added that there is a 'real sense of pride' to see his company's leather in this new collection. 'For us, it's more than just providing a material; it's about seeing our craftsmanship meet Florsheim's heritage and creating something special together,' Horween noted. 'We pour so much into the manufacturing process, focusing on quality and character, and to see that translated into a shoe that people will wear and enjoy means so much to us here at Horween.' The Florsheim's Horween capsule collection, which retails between $195 and $225, will launch exclusively on Florsheim's website on Monday, August 11. In May, Weyco Group reported a dip in sales in the first quarter of 2025 as the company faced geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties, citing 'evolving U.S. trade policies, recession concerns, and market volatility.' Considering the challenging environment, in light of reduced consumer discretionary spending and cautious retailer inventory management, Weyco noted in the period that Florsheim's first quarter performance was 'particularly strong.' The brand continues to gain market share with 'robust sales' across a range of categories including hybrid 'refined casual' footwear, which it views as a significant growth opportunity in the future, Weyco noted. Overall, consolidated net sales at Weyco in Q1 2025 were $68.0 million, down 5 percent compared to net sales of $71.6 million in the first quarter of 2024. First quarter net earnings were $5.5 million, or 57 cents per diluted share, in 2025, versus $6.7 million, or 69 cents per diluted share, in 2024. Best of WWD All the Retailers That Nike Left and Then Went Back Mikey Madison's Elegant Red Carpet Shoe Style [PHOTOS] Julia Fox's Sleekest and Boldest Shoe Looks Over the Years [Photos]
Business Insider
10-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Business Insider
The 9 best men's dress shoes for stepping out in style and comfort
Dress shoes don't have to be stuffy or relegated to the odd wedding or other formal occasion you find yourself attending. They're actually a very versatile footwear category that can elevate your everyday style and still be appropriate for more formal occasions. Knowing what to look for in both the type of shoe and how they're made is key to finding a high-quality dress shoe within your budget. This guide highlights some of the best in dress shoes for men, from the least formal — loafers — to the most formal, wholecut Oxfords, with some others that range between these two. That is, brogue wingtips, dress boots, Bluchers, and monk straps. We've also included both a high-end Oxford from the legendary American brand Allen Edmonds that's worth the monetary investment, and a more budget-friendly pair from Florsheim, which are still manufactured with high standards using time-tested techniques. We've thoroughly tested these dress shoes that will have you looking sharp, feeling confident, and will last for years with a little TLC on your part. Best Oxford: Ace Marks Wholecut Oxford A wholecut Oxford offers one of the dressiest shoe options out there with its closed lacing system, refined profile, and sleek style that pairs well with everything from a tux to a business suit to more casual separates. Ace Marks offers an exceptional Plain Toe Wholecut Oxford, which the DTC brand handcrafts in Italy from a luxurious hand-dyed and burnished calfskin leather and includes key details like a leather lining, stacked leather heel, and Blake stitching so the shoes can be resoled when the time comes (although based on our testing these Oxfords that run true to size will last you years before you'll need it). Best for comfort: Cole Haan Zerogrand Remastered Wingtip Oxfords Cole Haan's Zerogrand Remastered Wingtip Oxfords masterfully combine the elevated style of wingtip Oxford dress shoes with the comfort of sneakers in one stunning package that doesn't require breaking in. I walked two miles in these straight out of the box and my feet felt fine, with no pinching, rubbing, or blisters — and they've only gotten more comfortable over longer wearing periods, including an eight-mile walk around Manhattan. Best Brogue: Beckett-Simonon Yates Oxfords The brogue dress shoe features perforated leather detailing, and whether it's a full brogue wingtip — with a point at the center of the toe cap and wings running along the sides — a half-brogue, with broughing at the cap toe, along the shoe's edges, and with a medallion, or a quarter brogue, which doesn't feature a medallion, these various iterations add visual appeal to your footwear. The Durant Oxfords are full-brogue wingtips handcrafted in Columbia under ethical conditions, feature full-grain Italian leather, gorgeous details and craftsmanship, break in easily, and are made to order, which allows the company to offer a superior shoe at a reasonable price. (Note: Beckett-Simonon shoes are made to order and include 150 steps in the manufacturing process, which means it can take between six to eight weeks for delivery, but it's worth the wait). Best Loafer: Marc Nolan Abe Penny Loafers Loafers, whether bit, tassel, or penny, are the warm weather shoes that offer an elegant way to dress up a casual outfit or make a suit seem a bit less stodgy, and the penny loafers from the DTC brand Marc Nolan do the job exceptionally well with 11 different options in eye-catching colorways and materials. They exude summer fun without losing a sense of sophistication thanks to their top-notch materials, like calfskin leather and sheepskin suede, and are easy to break in, very comfortable due to memory foam insoles, and can be worn with or without socks. Best Budget Dress Shoe: Florsheim Midtown Cap Toe Oxford Andrew Amelinckx Florsheim's Midtown cap toe Oxfords nicely balance price with quality that, like all the footwear I've tried from the brand, hold up well, with the bonus that they're really comfortable for all-day wear and are available at Famous Footwear. For $125 you get a great looking dress shoe made from leather sourced from environmentally responsible tanneries with Goodyear welted construction (meaning it can be resoled), plus tons of cushioning, and they'll hold up well for years if properly cared for. Best Luxury: Allen Edmonds Park Avenue Oxford The word iconic gets thrown around a lot, but in the case of American heritage brand Allen Edmonds and its Park Avenue cap toe Oxford, it's an apt description and while they're considered luxury, the craftsmanship and top-notch materials justify the cost. They handcraft these timeless dress shoes in Wisconsin using 212 steps, European calfskin, Goodyear welting, and cork insoles that mold to the shape of your foot over time, making for a refined pair of Oxfords that deliver a comfortable wearing experience, will last decades, and can be recrafted down the road. Best Dress Boot: Idrese Galahad Jodhpur boots Idrese is a direct-to-consumer shoe company that handcrafts its footwear in Spain, and while it specializes in letting the customer design their own shoes and boots — that's what I did with a pair of Jodhpurs that I absolutely love and fit my feet perfectly — the company also has ready to wear items like the Galahad jodhpurs. Idrese uses supple Italian calfskin leather, Goodyear welting, and a sleek profile for an elevated take on this boot style that includes a strap and buckle near the top. Best Derby: Moral Code Chase Derby Best Monk Strap: Thursday Boots the Saint Double Monk Strap With their rich history dating back centuries to their modern appeal as an alternative to less fashion-forward Oxfords, monk strap dress shoes — with their unique straps and buckles (one or two) rather than laces — look as good with a contemporary suit as they do with nice jeans, so they won't get dusty waiting for formal occasions to be worn. The DTC footwear brand Thursday Boots makes the Saint double-monk strap from sleek full-grain leather using Blake stitching, with straps that are sturdy, stay in place, and have a good range of adjustability for a tighter or looser fit — and all with a minimal break-in period. What to consider when shopping There are a few important factors to consider when looking for dress shoes that will last you years. The shoes should be made of high-quality leather rather than a synthetic material (unless you're morally opposed to it). The shoes should have either Goodyear welting or Blake stitching, rather than being cemented, as you see with sneaker construction. These two old-school techniques for attaching the upper to the sole, allow you to have them resoled down the line. FAQs What's the difference between Oxfords and Derbies? Oxford have closed lacing, meaning the part of the shoe called the quarters, where the laces go, are sewn under the vamp (front part of the shoe) making for a sleeker shoe that's considered more formal than Derbies. The latter type of shoe has open lacing, meaning the quarters are sewn over the vamp, which gives the shoes a more relaxed look and allows for greater ease of movement. How do I care for leather dress shoes? There are a few simple steps to keeping your dress shoes looking sharp. Depending on how often you wear them, you should shine them every few weeks if they get heavy use or every few months if you don't wear them as often. First, clean them with saddle soap, then use a moisturizing cream polish, and if you're looking for a high shine, use a wax polish. Here are the six you should use. Can dress shoes be resoled? Quality dress shoes should be made with either Goodyear welting or Blake stitching, two methods for attaching the sole to the upper. Both of these methods allow for a professional cobbler to resole your dress shoes. Are expensive dress shoes worth it? It depends on what your needs are and whether you're willing to invest the money. If you can afford to, you should buy a well-crafted, timeless style of dress shoe rather than a cheaper fast-fashion pair that uses glue instead of Goodyear welting or Blake stitching. A high-quality pair can last years, if not decades, if properly cared for, while cheaply made ones won't last nearly as long. How do I break in new dress shoes without pain? There are a few tricks you can use to break in new dress shoes. If you aren't in a big hurry you can do it over several days starting by wearing them indoors for 30 minutes or so and then over the next few days, wear them for incrementally longer periods, both inside and outside. Comfortable socks also help and if you know you're prone to getting blisters on certain parts of your feet, you can stick adhesive bandages on the problem spot until your new shoes become comfortable.
Fashion Network
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' opens at The Met's Costume Institute
When the team behind this Met Gala and exhibit theme began planning "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style", it was just after the legendary fashion editor and figure André Leon Talley had passed away at 73, DEI was alive and well in the United States and funding to museums was not under fire. Talley's sartorial style would also be a source of inspiration for the exhibit based on Monica L. Miller's 2009 book "Slaves to Fashion", which explores the cultural history of the Black dandy, beginning in the 18th century through its modern-day incarnations. When head curator for the Anna Wintour Costume Center and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Andrew Bolton, invited Miller to guest curate the exhibit alongside him and his team, no one could have imagined how the current administration has tried to squash DEI and erase aspects of Black history, like Harriet Tubman, from a government website. Thus, besides its fascinating, historical and overflowing with excellent style contents, this exhibit proves fashion is a better place thanks to diversity, equity and inclusion and nothing erases enduring style. was in attendance as Bolton, Miller, Met CEO Max Hollein, and actor and co-host Colman Domingo introduced the exhibit to press and special guests. Hollein kicked off opening remarks, noting that the fundraising event has raised a record-breaking $3 million. He introduced Domingo, who has become fashion's best-dressed male, along with Louis Vuitton menswear creative director Pharrell Williams; rapper A$AP Rocky; Formula 1 driver Sir Lewis Hamilton; and Anna Wintour, who are serving as the event's hosts. The timing of this particular theme was not lost on Hollein. "The Met's mission is to connect more people to creativity, knowledge, ideas, and, most importantly, to one another through art and scholarly pursuits. Today's exhibition is an important example of the undoubtedly powerful significance of this exhibition in today's world. We hope that deep understanding of the powerful histories told throughout the galleries and to recognize the extraordinary, powerful voices, the designers and artists who make this so meaningful," Hollein said. Domingo, dressed in a purple-slash-fuchsia suit by pioneering Savile Row tailor and designer Ozwald Boateng, regaled the crowd with stories of the three men who inspired his own flare for dandyism: his stepfather Clarence Cole; his biological father Colman Domingo (Sr.); and his brother Derek Domingo. He remarked how Cole, a floor refinisher, transformed from his patched workwear on Friday and came "alive, becoming another man redefining himself wearing a sharkskin suit, good Florsheim shoes, a long overcoat, and sapphire pinky ring." His brother introduced him to GQ magazine and would manifest the styles by working with the boys' mother and aunt to sew the styles at home using Butterick patterns. "My father was very grand and flashy, drove a Cadillac, and when he came to visit me, my favorite outfit he was wearing all white, tight Italian trousers that hugged his crotch and legs, and with a Canary yellow hat," Domingo recalled. "I stand here representing many generations of Black men who liberated themselves through style. I stand here on the shoulders of André Leon Talley, Ozwald Boateng, Sidney Poitier, Prince, Harry Belafonte, James Baldwin, and many others. There's a quote from the great George C. Wolfe to highlight the creative spirit of Black people shaping trends and fashion. Wolfe said, 'God created Black people, and Black people created style,'" he continued. Next, Bolton took the stage to explain the genesis of the first Met Gala's theme and exhibit dedicated to menswear in 20 years. "'Slave to Fashion' is a cultural history of blackness from the 18th to the late 20th century. It depicts enslaved people and then self-functioning individuals using clothes to assert their agency and humanity, which is both an anesthetic and a political phenomenon. That identity is a visualization extension of Monica's groundbreaking book and explores the origins of multiple meanings of black in the African diaspora. It's the first in-depth exhibition that locates the history in a multimedia context in fashion, film, photography, the arts," Bolton said, adding, "What transpires is a story of liberation emancipation through soft experimentation. It's a story in which fashion, masculinity, and blackness converge in expressions of self and self-creation, self-invention, self-possession, self-determination, self-annunciation, and self-actualization, giving the black imagination a way of manifesting in real life. The exhibition explores how these dreams are realized and made tangible." Miller, professor of Africana Studies, chair of the Africana Studies Department at Barnard College, summed it up so that guests viewing the exhibit would further understand its message and point of view. The professor noted that working with the Met was "a dream I never knew I had." "What Superfine explores is blackness across time and space in the U.S. and Europe as a mode of self, self-possession, and design, and it's related to strategy and intentionality as in by design and as manifested in environment through fashion design. Dandyism is an act of refusal. Dandies are historically men and increasingly people who practice precision and intentionality in their dress. Whether that dress is sober or spectacular, a well-tailored suit with accessories is a touchstone of the dandy closet and is the focus around which Superfine is designed," Miller explained. "Dandy's designated ways of being in the world were at the beginning of the 18th century, due to the slave trade, colonialism, and imperialism, they combined African and Western traditions. It addresses enslaved Africans identified as servants who were transformed into objects of consumption. They similarly engage the power of fashion and accessories to challenge representation and reimagine themselves. Their dandy-ness is a pointed understanding of the relationship between clothing and power. The Black dandy pushes the boundaries of gender, class, sexuality and raising blackness, exercising their global powers and self-definition," she added. The exhibit was divided into themes: ownership, presence, distinction, disguise, freedom, champion, respectability, jook, heritage, beauty, cool, and cosmopolitanism. All sorts of suits from three-pieces, military suits, tails, and topcoat suits, tracksuits, and even suits worn by women such as Grace Jones and Josephine Baker, plus a bevy of accouterment such as ruffled shirts, bold cravats, leather breeches, and more were highlights of the exhibit. Historical figures featured were French writer Alexandre Dumas and his father Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, who, being biracial, enjoyed a certain societal latitude; abolitionist and African American civil rights leader Frederick Douglass; W.E.B Du Bois, the Harvard-educated sociologist and historian who helped found the NAACP; musicians Prince and Sylvester; and André Leon Talley, among others, whose dandy style helped promote their endeavors. Designers featured in the all-black galleries with specially created black mannequins were Grace Wales Bonner; Maximillian Davis for Ferragamo; Willy Chavarria; Jerry Lorenzo of Fear of God; Olivier Rousteing for Balmain; John Galliano for Dior; Tremaine Emory for Denim Tears; Ev Bravado and Téla D'Amore for Who Decides War; Ib Kamara for Off-White; Bianca Saunders; Soull and Dynasty Ogun of L'Enchanteur; LaQuan Smith; Kerby Jean- Raymond for Pyer Moss; Edvin Thompson for Theophilio; Jeffrey Banks; Raul Lopez of Luar, and Boateng, among others. Representing main sponsor Louis Vuitton were designs by the late Virgil Abloh, who included the word dandy in his infamous design dictionaries, and current men's creative director Pharrell Williams in the form of the pixelated suit, among other styles. Talley's monogrammed LV trunks were also on display, as was Harlem's Dapper Dan's suit, which was reimagined from the LV monogram print. Recent LVMH Prize finalist Jacques Agbobly, originally from the Togolese Republic, gleefully posed for pictures in front of two designs on display and marveled at the mannequin's hands-in-pocket pose. "We styled it that way in the lookbook," he remarked.
Fashion Network
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' opens at The Met's Costume Institute
When the team behind this Met Gala and exhibit theme began planning "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style", it was just after the legendary fashion editor and figure André Leon Talley had passed away at 73, DEI was alive and well in the United States and funding to museums was not under fire. Talley's sartorial style would also be a source of inspiration for the exhibit based on Monica L. Miller's 2009 book "Slaves to Fashion", which explores the cultural history of the Black dandy, beginning in the 18th century through its modern-day incarnations. When head curator for the Anna Wintour Costume Center and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Andrew Bolton, invited Miller to guest curate the exhibit alongside him and his team, no one could have imagined how the current administration has tried to squash DEI and erase aspects of Black history, like Harriet Tubman, from a government website. Thus, besides its fascinating, historical and overflowing with excellent style contents, this exhibit proves fashion is a better place thanks to diversity, equity and inclusion and nothing erases enduring style. was in attendance as Bolton, Miller, Met CEO Max Hollein, and actor and co-host Colman Domingo introduced the exhibit to press and special guests. Hollein kicked off opening remarks, noting that the fundraising event has raised a record-breaking $3 million. He introduced Domingo, who has become fashion's best-dressed male, along with Louis Vuitton menswear creative director Pharrell Williams; rapper A$AP Rocky; Formula 1 driver Sir Lewis Hamilton; and Anna Wintour, who are serving as the event's hosts. The timing of this particular theme was not lost on Hollein. "The Met's mission is to connect more people to creativity, knowledge, ideas, and, most importantly, to one another through art and scholarly pursuits. Today's exhibition is an important example of the undoubtedly powerful significance of this exhibition in today's world. We hope that deep understanding of the powerful histories told throughout the galleries and to recognize the extraordinary, powerful voices, the designers and artists who make this so meaningful," Hollein said. Domingo, dressed in a purple-slash-fuchsia suit by pioneering Savile Row tailor and designer Ozwald Boateng, regaled the crowd with stories of the three men who inspired his own flare for dandyism: his stepfather Clarence Cole; his biological father Colman Domingo (Sr.); and his brother Derek Domingo. He remarked how Cole, a floor refinisher, transformed from his patched workwear on Friday and came "alive, becoming another man redefining himself wearing a sharkskin suit, good Florsheim shoes, a long overcoat, and sapphire pinky ring." His brother introduced him to GQ magazine and would manifest the styles by working with the boys' mother and aunt to sew the styles at home using Butterick patterns. "My father was very grand and flashy, drove a Cadillac, and when he came to visit me, my favorite outfit he was wearing all white, tight Italian trousers that hugged his crotch and legs, and with a Canary yellow hat," Domingo recalled. "I stand here representing many generations of Black men who liberated themselves through style. I stand here on the shoulders of André Leon Talley, Ozwald Boateng, Sidney Poitier, Prince, Harry Belafonte, James Baldwin, and many others. There's a quote from the great George C. Wolfe to highlight the creative spirit of Black people shaping trends and fashion. Wolfe said, 'God created Black people, and Black people created style,'" he continued. Next, Bolton took the stage to explain the genesis of the first Met Gala's theme and exhibit dedicated to menswear in 20 years. "'Slave to Fashion' is a cultural history of blackness from the 18th to the late 20th century. It depicts enslaved people and then self-functioning individuals using clothes to assert their agency and humanity, which is both an anesthetic and a political phenomenon. That identity is a visualization extension of Monica's groundbreaking book and explores the origins of multiple meanings of black in the African diaspora. It's the first in-depth exhibition that locates the history in a multimedia context in fashion, film, photography, the arts," Bolton said, adding, "What transpires is a story of liberation emancipation through soft experimentation. It's a story in which fashion, masculinity, and blackness converge in expressions of self and self-creation, self-invention, self-possession, self-determination, self-annunciation, and self-actualization, giving the black imagination a way of manifesting in real life. The exhibition explores how these dreams are realized and made tangible." Miller, professor of Africana Studies, chair of the Africana Studies Department at Barnard College, summed it up so that guests viewing the exhibit would further understand its message and point of view. The professor noted that working with the Met was "a dream I never knew I had." "What Superfine explores is blackness across time and space in the U.S. and Europe as a mode of self, self-possession, and design, and it's related to strategy and intentionality as in by design and as manifested in environment through fashion design. Dandyism is an act of refusal. Dandies are historically men and increasingly people who practice precision and intentionality in their dress. Whether that dress is sober or spectacular, a well-tailored suit with accessories is a touchstone of the dandy closet and is the focus around which Superfine is designed," Miller explained. "Dandy's designated ways of being in the world were at the beginning of the 18th century, due to the slave trade, colonialism, and imperialism, they combined African and Western traditions. It addresses enslaved Africans identified as servants who were transformed into objects of consumption. They similarly engage the power of fashion and accessories to challenge representation and reimagine themselves. Their dandy-ness is a pointed understanding of the relationship between clothing and power. The Black dandy pushes the boundaries of gender, class, sexuality and raising blackness, exercising their global powers and self-definition," she added. The exhibit was divided into themes: ownership, presence, distinction, disguise, freedom, champion, respectability, jook, heritage, beauty, cool, and cosmopolitanism. All sorts of suits from three-pieces, military suits, tails, and topcoat suits, tracksuits, and even suits worn by women such as Grace Jones and Josephine Baker, plus a bevy of accouterment such as ruffled shirts, bold cravats, leather breeches, and more were highlights of the exhibit. Historical figures featured were French writer Alexandre Dumas and his father Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, who, being biracial, enjoyed a certain societal latitude; abolitionist and African American civil rights leader Frederick Douglass; W.E.B Du Bois, the Harvard-educated sociologist and historian who helped found the NAACP; musicians Prince and Sylvester; and André Leon Talley, among others, whose dandy style helped promote their endeavors. Designers featured in the all-black galleries with specially created black mannequins were Grace Wales Bonner; Maximillian Davis for Ferragamo; Willy Chavarria; Jerry Lorenzo of Fear of God; Olivier Rousteing for Balmain; John Galliano for Dior; Tremaine Emory for Denim Tears; Ev Bravado and Téla D'Amore for Who Decides War; Ib Kamara for Off-White; Bianca Saunders; Soull and Dynasty Ogun of L'Enchanteur; LaQuan Smith; Kerby Jean- Raymond for Pyer Moss; Edvin Thompson for Theophilio; Jeffrey Banks; Raul Lopez of Luar, and Boateng, among others. Representing main sponsor Louis Vuitton were designs by the late Virgil Abloh, who included the word dandy in his infamous design dictionaries, and current men's creative director Pharrell Williams in the form of the pixelated suit, among other styles. Talley's monogrammed LV trunks were also on display, as was Harlem's Dapper Dan's suit, which was reimagined from the LV monogram print. Recent LVMH Prize finalist Jacques Agbobly, originally from the Togolese Republic, gleefully posed for pictures in front of two designs on display and marveled at the mannequin's hands-in-pocket pose. "We styled it that way in the lookbook," he remarked.
Fashion Network
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' opens at The Met's Costume Institute
When the team behind this Met Gala and exhibit theme began planning "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style", it was just after the legendary fashion editor and figure André Leon Talley had passed away at 73, DEI was alive and well in the United States and funding to museums was not under fire. Talley's sartorial style would also be a source of inspiration for the exhibit based on Monica L. Miller's 2009 book "Slaves to Fashion", which explores the cultural history of the Black dandy, beginning in the 18th century through its modern-day incarnations. When head curator for the Anna Wintour Costume Center and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Andrew Bolton, invited Miller to guest curate the exhibit alongside him and his team, no one could have imagined how the current administration has tried to squash DEI and erase aspects of Black history, like Harriet Tubman, from a government website. Thus, besides its fascinating, historical and overflowing with excellent style contents, this exhibit proves fashion is a better place thanks to diversity, equity and inclusion and nothing erases enduring style. was in attendance as Bolton, Miller, Met CEO Max Hollein, and actor and co-host Colman Domingo introduced the exhibit to press and special guests. Hollein kicked off opening remarks, noting that the fundraising event has raised a record-breaking $3 million. He introduced Domingo, who has become fashion's best-dressed male, along with Louis Vuitton menswear creative director Pharrell Williams; rapper A$AP Rocky; Formula 1 driver Sir Lewis Hamilton; and Anna Wintour, who are serving as the event's hosts. The timing of this particular theme was not lost on Hollein. "The Met's mission is to connect more people to creativity, knowledge, ideas, and, most importantly, to one another through art and scholarly pursuits. Today's exhibition is an important example of the undoubtedly powerful significance of this exhibition in today's world. We hope that deep understanding of the powerful histories told throughout the galleries and to recognize the extraordinary, powerful voices, the designers and artists who make this so meaningful," Hollein said. Domingo, dressed in a purple-slash-fuchsia suit by pioneering Savile Row tailor and designer Ozwald Boateng, regaled the crowd with stories of the three men who inspired his own flare for dandyism: his stepfather Clarence Cole; his biological father Colman Domingo (Sr.); and his brother Derek Domingo. He remarked how Cole, a floor refinisher, transformed from his patched workwear on Friday and came "alive, becoming another man redefining himself wearing a sharkskin suit, good Florsheim shoes, a long overcoat, and sapphire pinky ring." His brother introduced him to GQ magazine and would manifest the styles by working with the boys' mother and aunt to sew the styles at home using Butterick patterns. "My father was very grand and flashy, drove a Cadillac, and when he came to visit me, my favorite outfit he was wearing all white, tight Italian trousers that hugged his crotch and legs, and with a Canary yellow hat," Domingo recalled. "I stand here representing many generations of Black men who liberated themselves through style. I stand here on the shoulders of André Leon Talley, Ozwald Boateng, Sidney Poitier, Prince, Harry Belafonte, James Baldwin, and many others. There's a quote from the great George C. Wolfe to highlight the creative spirit of Black people shaping trends and fashion. Wolfe said, 'God created Black people, and Black people created style,'" he continued. Next, Bolton took the stage to explain the genesis of the first Met Gala's theme and exhibit dedicated to menswear in 20 years. "'Slave to Fashion' is a cultural history of blackness from the 18th to the late 20th century. It depicts enslaved people and then self-functioning individuals using clothes to assert their agency and humanity, which is both an anesthetic and a political phenomenon. That identity is a visualization extension of Monica's groundbreaking book and explores the origins of multiple meanings of black in the African diaspora. It's the first in-depth exhibition that locates the history in a multimedia context in fashion, film, photography, the arts," Bolton said, adding, "What transpires is a story of liberation emancipation through soft experimentation. It's a story in which fashion, masculinity, and blackness converge in expressions of self and self-creation, self-invention, self-possession, self-determination, self-annunciation, and self-actualization, giving the black imagination a way of manifesting in real life. The exhibition explores how these dreams are realized and made tangible." Miller, professor of Africana Studies, chair of the Africana Studies Department at Barnard College, summed it up so that guests viewing the exhibit would further understand its message and point of view. The professor noted that working with the Met was "a dream I never knew I had." "What Superfine explores is blackness across time and space in the U.S. and Europe as a mode of self, self-possession, and design, and it's related to strategy and intentionality as in by design and as manifested in environment through fashion design. Dandyism is an act of refusal. Dandies are historically men and increasingly people who practice precision and intentionality in their dress. Whether that dress is sober or spectacular, a well-tailored suit with accessories is a touchstone of the dandy closet and is the focus around which Superfine is designed," Miller explained. "Dandy's designated ways of being in the world were at the beginning of the 18th century, due to the slave trade, colonialism, and imperialism, they combined African and Western traditions. It addresses enslaved Africans identified as servants who were transformed into objects of consumption. They similarly engage the power of fashion and accessories to challenge representation and reimagine themselves. Their dandy-ness is a pointed understanding of the relationship between clothing and power. The Black dandy pushes the boundaries of gender, class, sexuality and raising blackness, exercising their global powers and self-definition," she added. The exhibit was divided into themes: ownership, presence, distinction, disguise, freedom, champion, respectability, jook, heritage, beauty, cool, and cosmopolitanism. All sorts of suits from three-pieces, military suits, tails, and topcoat suits, tracksuits, and even suits worn by women such as Grace Jones and Josephine Baker, plus a bevy of accouterment such as ruffled shirts, bold cravats, leather breeches, and more were highlights of the exhibit. Historical figures featured were French writer Alexandre Dumas and his father Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, who, being biracial, enjoyed a certain societal latitude; abolitionist and African American civil rights leader Frederick Douglass; W.E.B Du Bois, the Harvard-educated sociologist and historian who helped found the NAACP; musicians Prince and Sylvester; and André Leon Talley, among others, whose dandy style helped promote their endeavors. Designers featured in the all-black galleries with specially created black mannequins were Grace Wales Bonner; Maximillian Davis for Ferragamo; Willy Chavarria; Jerry Lorenzo of Fear of God; Olivier Rousteing for Balmain; John Galliano for Dior; Tremaine Emory for Denim Tears; Ev Bravado and Téla D'Amore for Who Decides War; Ib Kamara for Off-White; Bianca Saunders; Soull and Dynasty Ogun of L'Enchanteur; LaQuan Smith; Kerby Jean- Raymond for Pyer Moss; Edvin Thompson for Theophilio; Jeffrey Banks; Raul Lopez of Luar, and Boateng, among others. Representing main sponsor Louis Vuitton were designs by the late Virgil Abloh, who included the word dandy in his infamous design dictionaries, and current men's creative director Pharrell Williams in the form of the pixelated suit, among other styles. Talley's monogrammed LV trunks were also on display, as was Harlem's Dapper Dan's suit, which was reimagined from the LV monogram print. Recent LVMH Prize finalist Jacques Agbobly, originally from the Togolese Republic, gleefully posed for pictures in front of two designs on display and marveled at the mannequin's hands-in-pocket pose. "We styled it that way in the lookbook," he remarked. Miller noted that the twelve themes would not fully encompass the exhibition; she was right, as pride and gratitude could also describe it.
