“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, Final Weeks at the Met

(New York, NY)—The Metropolitan Museum of Art will present a series of public programs this fall in conjunction with The Costume Institute’s spring exhibition Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, offering visitors multiple opportunities to engage with the exhibition before it closes on October 26, 2025.

The exhibition is made possible by Louis Vuitton.

Major funding is provided by Instagram, the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation, Africa Fashion International, founded by Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe, and The Perry Foundation.

Additional support is provided by Condé Nast.

Highlighting the series, An Evening with Dapper Dan: Style, Legacy, and What Comes Next, on Friday, October 3, at 6 p.m. in The Met’s Grace Rainey Rodgers Auditorium, will bring together guest curator Monica L. Miller in conversation with fashion pioneer Dapper Dan, whose rare ensemble from 1987 features in Superfine. The two will discuss the designer’s enduring impact on fashion and culture, his personal reflections on dandyism and style, and the ideas that continue to inspire his work today. Dapper Dan innovated streetwear in the early 1980s, co-opting luxury branding to design original garments with high-end details. Among his many accolades, he is a best-selling author and the 2021 recipient of the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. His work has appeared in several museum exhibitions, including The Met’s Camp: Notes on Fashion (2019) and In America: A Lexicon of Fashion (2021–22). The talk will take place during a weekly Date Night, evening hours at The Met when visitors are invited to explore the Museum’s offerings until 9 p.m. 

On Wednesday, September 24, Raul Lopez, founder of LUAR Clothing, and fashion scholar Elena Romero will participate in a Met Expert Talk in Spanglish about the exhibition’s themes as well as Lopez’s journey as a designer and entrepreneur in New York City.

Additionally, a Met Signs Tour on Saturday, October 11, with educator Zavier Sabio will invite Deaf participants to explore the range of objects on view in the galleries, and on Sunday, October 12, a Superfine-themed Family Afternoon will welcome families with children of all ages and abilities to participate in art making, story time, and more.

Beyond the Museum, Celebrating Fashion in Harlem will comprise two walking tours led by SoHarlem in which participants can immerse themselves in the vibrancy of this historic neighborhood and learn about its deep connection with fashion and culture. The second tour, on Saturday, September 27, will take place in West Harlem with Doris “Koya” Prester of SoHarlem and Scott Metzner, Founder of Janus Property.

Winners of The Met’s annual College Fashion Design Competition will be announced in October. Each year, The Met invites sophomore, junior, and senior undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in fashion design and related programs to participate in a design competition inspired by The Costume Institute’s annual spring exhibition. Two winners and two runners-up will be announced in both the 3D Design category and Fashion Illustration category in addition to one “Fan Favorite.”