Magazine

“Superfine” and Dandy: Iconic Creatives Celebrate the Costume Institute’s New Exhibition

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TRUE ORIGINALS
From left: Vintage collector Lana Turner wears a Duro Olowu jacket and dress. Filmmaker Spike Lee in a Christopher John Rogers coat (christopher​johnrogers​.com) and Theophilio suit (theophilio​.com). Model and actor Daryl Dismond wears an Orange Culture suit; modaoperandi​.com. Designer Dapper Dan in a Dolce Gabbana Alta Sartoria suit; Dolce Gabbana boutiques for requests. Fashion Editor: Law Roach.Photographed by Tyler Mitchell, Vogue, May 2025.
In a special collaboration with GQ, Vogue invited a many-splendored cast of actors, musicians, designers, models, athletes, and more—from Spike Lee and Dapper Dan to Ayo Edebiri and Janelle Monae—to celebrate “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” the new exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute. “Superfine” tells the story of Black dandyism as a joyous sartorial force—and a crucial tool for moving the social and political needle—and for this portfolio, photographer Tyler Mitchell came together with the inimitable Law Roach (who has styled everyone from Celine Dion to Zendaya) to capture contemporary suiting at its most dashing and flamboyant.
“It’s not just a dream realized; it’s a historic moment,” says Mitchell of working with both Roach and this stellar group. “It’s the kind of work we all strive toward.”
As the director and producer Janicza Bravo—who appears below with model Alton Mason and artist Ferrari Sheppard—put it, when reflecting on both the “Superfine” theme and the idea behind this shoot: “Dandyism is flair, it’s wit, and a kind of ease and comfortability with oneself.”
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
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HE’S GOTTA HAVE IT
Spike Lee, whose next feature, Highest 2 Lowest, will premiere at Cannes in May, in a Theophilio suit.


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FULL FLOWER
Dapper Dan in Dolce Gabbana Alta Sartoria. Jimmy Choo shoes.


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FUNNY GIRL
“I think with a lot of African people, your traditional outfits get made,” says actor Ayo Edebiri, soon to appear in Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt. “As a child, I thought it was torture, but now I have very precious memories of family and friends pinning clothes on me—it’s a really intimate, beautiful thing.” Chanel dress; select Chanel boutiques. Seymoure gloves. Balmain shoes. Chanel High Jewelry earrings.


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CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY
From left: Actor Myha’la, star of HBO’s Industry, in a Sergio Hudson suit and Gigi Burris Millinery hat. Musician Jon Batiste in a Dunhill suit and Rolex watch. Actor and singer Jeremy Pope, a star of Ryan Murphy’s new FX series The Beauty, in a Dunhill suit, Bvlgari watch, and Jacques Marie Mage sunglasses.


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ELECTRIC FEEL
Model Anok Yai is a neon dream in a Sergio Hudson suit, shirt, and tie; sergiohudson​.com. Jacques Marie Mage glasses; jacques​mariemage​.com.


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THE WHEEL DEAL
“What I’ve always been so impressed by in Black aesthetics is the idea that we can appropriate things that have often been used to oppress us,” says Yara Shahidi (left)—actor and host of SiriusXM’s The Optimist Project. Coat, shoes, and scarf from Gucci; gucci​.com. Cartier earrings; cartier​.com for inquiries. Actor Aaron Pierre, who will join Apple TV+’s The Morning Show in its upcoming fourth season, wears a Tom Ford tuxedo; tomfordfashion.com. Christian Louboutin shoes; christianlouboutin.com.


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GOOD SPORTS
From left: Skateboarder Tyshawn Jones, basketball player A’ja Wilson, and football player Justin Jefferson in Willy Chavarria suits; willychavarria​.com for similar styles. Jones wears an Audemars Piguet watch and Graff ring. Wilson wears a Boucheron ring. Jefferson wears Christian Louboutin shoes.


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GAME CHANGERS
From left: Model Tyson Beckford in a Bottega Veneta suit; bottegaveneta​.com. Sprinter Noah Lyles in a Gucci suit (gucci.com), Jacques Marie Mage sunglasses, and Omega watch. Both wear Christian Louboutin shoes.


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MASCULIN FÉMININ
Actor Naomi Ackie wears vintage Louis Vuitton; louisvuitton.com for similar styles. Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany Co. earrings and ring; select Tiffany Co. boutiques. Hair, Ro Morgan; makeup, Kenneth Soh.


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STUDIO SESSION
Artist Rashid Johnson—the subject of a major solo exhibition, “A Poem for Deep Thinkers,” at New York’s Guggenheim Museum this month—wears a Tom Ford suit and tie; tomford​fashion​.com. Eton shirt; eton​shirts​.com. Christian Louboutin shoes; christian​louboutin​.com. Howl rings; Gin The Banker.


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WELL SUITED
“If I absolutely have to put on a dress, then I put on a dress—but something about a suit just feels so powerful,” says singer-actor Teyana Taylor (left), whom you can soon see in Tyler Perry’s Straw, here with Janelle Monáe (who will appear in Aleshea Harris’s film adaptation of her play Is God Is). Both in Marni; marni.com. Taylor wears Le Silla shoes. Monáe wears Jimmy Choo shoes; jimmychoo.com.


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BLACK BEAUTY
Models Achol Ayor (far left, standing) and Ajus Samuel (on stepladder) wear Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane. Model Layla Etengan (on floor) wears a Maison Margiela jacket. Model Rejoice Chuol (third from left) in The Row. Model Victoria Fawole (third from right) wears a Thom Browne jacket. Models Yar Aguer (in profile) and Agel Akol (at rear, standing) in Maison Margiela. Model Laura Reyes (far right, standing) wears Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. Bailey 1922 hats.


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REMEMBER THE TARTANS
Models Julez Smith (left) and Imaan Hammam go mad for plaid—he in a Torishéju jacket (Dover Street Market, New York), Dunhill shirt, and Amiri trousers (amiri.com); she in a Thom Browne coat (thombrowne​.com), Torishéju skirt, and Christian Louboutin shoes.


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BLOOM TIME
Model Adut Akech is all in on the power of suits, which make her feel, she says, “boss lady, badass, and just very chic and fun—at the same time.” Marine Serre coat; marineserre.com. Ralph Lauren Collection shirt and pants; ralph​lauren​.com. Esenshel hat; Esenshel, New York. David Yurman ring; davidyurman​.com.


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GOING LONG
Fashion editor Law Roach in Walter Van Beirendonck.


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CREATIVE CLASS 
From left: For Janicza Bravo—director and producer of the BBC series The Listeners—“dandyism is flair, it’s wit, and a kind of ease and comfortability with oneself.” Bravo wears Thom Browne; thombrowne​.com. Model Alton Mason in a Valentino suit; Valentino boutiques. Seymoure gloves and Christian Louboutin shoes. Artist Ferrari Sheppard in a Brunello Cucinelli suit and Eton shirt (etonshirts.com).


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DAYS OF WILD
Yai indulges her animal instinct in a Theophilio coat and hat; theophilio.com.


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NEUTRAL GROUND
Designer Jerry Lorenzo (left) and actor LaKeith Stanfield (a star of Lynne Ramsay’s upcoming film Die, My Love) both wear Fear of God; fearofgod.com. “I think you see a lot of creativity in the history of Black style,” Lorenzo says. “It’s a tool to make it easier to get into certain rooms—to not necessarily be recognized, but to just be seen.” Stanfield wears a David Yurman ring and Lindberg glasses.


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SHARE MY WORLD
From left: Artist Jordan Casteel wears a Wales Bonner jacket and shirt; walesbonner.com. Van Cleef Arpels ring; vancleefarpels.com. Designer Grace Wales Bonner wears her own brand. Cartier ring; Cartier.com for inquiries.


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HEAD TURNER
Singer Yseult—who is now touring her second studio album, 2024’s Mental—wears a Dior jacket and pants; Dior boutiques for similar styles. Tiffany Co. earrings and rings; select Tiffany Co. boutiques. Theophilio by Chrishabana brooch.


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THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING IDLE
From left: Rapper Akeem Ali wears an MM6 Maison Margiela coat, Ozwald Boateng suit, and Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany Co. brooch. Actor and model Keith Powers—next set to appear in John Burr’s film The Gates—Brunello Cucinelli jacket, Amiri shirts and trousers, Omega watch and Selima Optique glasses. Actor Danielle Deadwyler—star of R.T. Thorne’s postapocalyptic thriller 40 Acres—wears Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. Artist Honor Titus wears a Giuliva Heritage jacket, Bode pants, and Jacques Marie Mage glasses. “For us to find a medium—whether it be fashion, language, art, sport—where we can express ourselves and express our dynamism and our excitement,” Titus says, “that’s always truly divine and always welcome.”


In this story: hair, Sondrea “Dre” Demry-Sanders; makeup, Keita Moore; grooming, Camille Ariane and Alex Keating; barbers, Don Brown and Kyle Smith; manicurist, Dawn Sterling; tailors, Carol Ai at Carol Ai Studio Tailors and Cornelius Billips; Daniella at R-Zee Tailoring; Da Shoné by DaSh; Matthew Reisman; Tae Yoshida; Travis Thi. Produced by Rosco Production. Set Design: Julia Wagner.