“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” this year’s Costume Institute exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, explores the idea of Black dandyism at the intersection of style and identity in the United States. It features one of Edvin Thompson’s pieces from this spring 2025 Theophilio collection, a pair of bright green sequined men’s trousers. The inclusion, and the support from co-curator Monica L. Miller, Thompson said, felt affirming. “I leaned into that,” he explained after tonight’s show.
In between the last time Theophilio was on the runway two seasons ago and tonight, he presented a particularly promising fall lineup via lookbook in February. Some of those outfits were on view tonight on front row guests, particularly the zebra and tiger print tailored separates—they looked even better tonight than they did then. This collection was comparably skimpier. Thompson has a firm grasp on sex appeal, something he confirmed with sinuously cut mini dresses, rendered in sequins or printed fabrics, and tiny bikinis and even smaller briefs. He gets credit for offering an expansive perspective on what a sexy body is—from muscular to slim, trans, and/or plus size—something many of his colleagues simply don’t.
“Sexy should be about ease, it should come easy,” Thompson said. “It’s about knowing who I am and being comfortable with who I am,” he continued, “and that’s what this collection was about.”
Some highlights included a mini sequined polo shirt dress and a men’s tank top in the same fabrication, plus some separates with sequined floral appliqués and a fun closing dress made up of diagonal strips and colorful ruffles. These pieces, particularly the finale frock, felt the most resolved and left one hoping Thompson would’ve ventured further into such spaces. Still, the balance of the lineup, like those wispy mini slip dresses, was easy to imagine on, say, one of those beautiful Love Island USA contestants, some of whom sat front row at the show. Sex sells, and Thompson has that to offer in spades.
The designer said this collection was him finding his center once more. It would be an understatement to say that 2025 has been a challenging year for independent labels, and Theophilio has not been immune to that. “I just feel like it’s important to find your footing and stay in that place,” Thompson said. “It’s very important for me to have autonomy over my own voice.” With this refocused outlook in mind, he said that what he looks forward to the most for Theophilio is “consistency.” Thompson has the heart and the right energy; the trick will be to negotiate between his desire for steadiness and maintaining an appetite for evolution.
