A Stitch in Time: Ahead of the 2025 Met Gala, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Hosts a Discussion on the Sartorial Excellence and Influence of Harlem
Harlem has long been the heart of Black culture in New York, celebrated for its diverse mix of African-American, Caribbean, and West African communities. The neighborhood’s rich history, cultural landmarks, thriving nightlife, and distinct style have solidified it as an epicenter of creativity.
On Tuesday evening, cultural influencers and industry professionals gathered at The Apollo Stages—a contemporary extension of the legendary Apollo Theater—for an intimate panel discussion focused on Harlem’s profound impact on the evolution of Black fashion, art, and creativity.
Held in the Victoria Theater space at The Apollo Stages, the event was moderated by Monica L. Miller, Ph.D., professor and chair of Africana Studies at Barnard College. It also served as a preview for the 2025 Met Gala, which will spotlight the spring exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” The panel featured notable figures such as Jonathan McCrory, executive artistic director of the National Black Theatre, fashion icon and historian Lana Turner, and bandleader Dandy Wellington. Despite the freezing temperatures and a freeze warning issued for the day, the event drew an engaged crowd of well-dressed attendees.
“I’m always thinking about Harlem, and how it acts as a creative portal,” said Miller, the guest curator for the upcoming exhibit. She began the evening’s discussion by exploring the key theme of the show—the Black dandy—and its connection to Harlem’s fashion legacy. Miller shared images of clothing and artifacts created by Black menswear designers that will be showcased in the museum’s galleries. Highlights included a 19th-century-inspired Harlequin print-patterned overcoat and pants designed by Tremaine Emory of Denim Tears, as well as a vintage portrait of the impeccably dressed Frederick Douglass, who wore a sharp-collared white dress shirt, ascot, and double-breasted suit.
As the evening continued in the theater’s subdued, dimly lit auditorium, the audience listened intently to McCrory, who echoed Miller’s thoughts on the exhibit’s theme. McCrory likened Black male dandyism to a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, a statement that inspired a burst of applause.
“It’s a crucial moment we’re in, socially—and our clothing helps us create the protection we need to be radically soft in a world that demands hardness. I believe we can build a world that’s more feminine than masculine, one that nurtures the softness required for creative rebirth,” McCrory added.
Turning the panel’s focus to Harlem’s past residents and the lasting influence of their legendary style, Turner shared that her parents were among those who paraded the streets of Harlem in their finest attire, whether heading to church, dinner, or dancing at nightclubs in the 1950s and ’60s. She compared Harlem’s iconic stretch of Seventh Avenue to Paris’ Champs-Élysées for Black creatives. Turner described her late father as the embodiment of the male dandy. “He always cut what I call a dashing figure,” she said. “He always wore a Stetson hat, a suit, a tie, and polished shoes.” Despite working as a chauffeur, she noted, his style resembled that of a high-level executive. “There’s always aspiration,” she added.
Delving into the rich history of Black style—and how a lack of access to capital and resources helped shape it—Wellington spoke of his own style as “an echo of the past, but also a portal to the future and its potential.” He emphasized that Black people have always had a unique ability to remix, sample, and transform fashion, constantly creating something new. “I love the quote: vintage style, not vintage values,” Wellington concluded.
La La Anthony, Jonathan McCrory, Anna Wintour, Dr. Monica L. Miller, Lana Turner, and Dandy Wellington Photo: Argenis Apolinario