The 2025 Met Gala would have been incomplete without the modern Black Dandy in attendance: Dapper Dan. A Harlem legend and style icon, the trailblazing tailor walked the blue carpet of the Metropolitan Museum steps on the biggest night in fashion.
The Father of Logomania wore a custom-made white and black Zoot suit to the gala, with what appeared to be black lace trimmings along the cufflinks and a black sequined vest. Prominently displayed on the back of his blazer was the Sankofa symbol. A Twi word from the Akan people of Ghana, “sankofa” means “to reach back and get.”
On Instagram, he wrote, “This is my inspiration for the Met Gala, the ZOOT SUIT…a key factor in the development of the Dandy in the Black and brown communities. Dressing is always intentional. No one gets dress[ed] by accident. What one wears makes a statement, what the Dandy wears is a narrative.”
In anticipation of the Costume Institute exhibit “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” the dress code for the 2025 Met Gala is “Tailored For You.” Open to the public beginning May 10, the exhibition will be a cultural and historical homage to the Black dandy figure, bolstered by the scholarship of guest curator Monica L. Miller.
His attire could not be more appropriate for a night such as this, where artists, entertainers, authors, and others are reflecting upon and celebrating the resilience of Black identity and creativity while bringing its lessons with them into the future.
Known for his playful yet pristine suits, the Harlem-bred haberdasher bridged hip-hop and high fashion. In the spirit of dandyism, Dapper Dan defying and challenging notions of how Black musicians could or should present themselves — and eventually, became the blueprint for luxury brands to emulate.
On the blue carpet while speaking with ESSENCE, he shared: “Without Harlem, there would be no Renaissance.” He also added: “The original dandy was actually a slave, a dressed-up servant.” Dapper Dan noted that Monica L. Miller’s book “Slaves to Fashion” expounds on these notions.
