Superfine: Tailoring Black Style

by Monica L. Miller, Andrew Bolton (Contributor), William DeGregorio (Contributor)

Superfine: Tailoring Black Style traces the complex and vibrant legacy of menswear across three centuries of Black culture—from today’s hip-hop aesthetic and popular street trends, through its use during the Harlem Renaissance and the civil rights movement as a symbol of creative and political agency, to its surprising origins as an imposed uniform for servants and enslaved people.

Organized by key characteristics of dandyism that resonate across time, including presence, distinction, disguise, and respectability, this fresh interpretation of a centuries-old aesthetic draws on prominent Black voices in fashion, literature, and art—among them, Dandy Wellington, Amy Sherald, Iké Udé, and André 3000.

Self-described dandies and high-fashion models feature in a stunning photo essay by artist Tyler Mitchell, who also contributes evocative new photography of garments by contemporary designers such as Virgil Abloh, Pharrell Williams, and Grace Wales Bonner. These works are shown alongside historical attire worn by Black luminaries including Frederick Douglass, Alexandre Dumas père, Muhammad Ali, and André Leon Talley. Scholar Monica L. Miller contextualizes these objects in her text and shows how the evolution of dandy style inspired new visions of Black masculinity that use the power of clothing and dress as a means of self-expression.

Genres: Art, African American

372 pages, Hardcover

First published June 3, 2025

Reviews

[Brooks West · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had the pleasure of visiting the exhibit at the Met. Amazing.

[Sarah G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rounded up.

[Jessica Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was excited to see this at the library after visiting the exhibit at the Met last fall! This exhibit brought together aesthetics and a cultural narrative which left me wanting to learn more. The book was a nice way to spend more time understanding the material and how the exhibit was created.