On a Cosmic-chilly April evening, The Apollo Stages was the perfect venue to host such guests for a Close-up panel discussion. The celebratory event honored Harlem’s deep influence on Black style, art, and culture. This event served as a precursor to the highly anticipated 2025 Met Gala, which will honor the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” through a spring exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.
The insightful panel featured leading and vocal lights of the arts and fashion community. Among those leaders were Jonathan McCrory, executive artistic director at the National Black Theatre, Lana Turner, a noted fashion icon and historian, and Dandy Wellington, a noted bandleader. Dr. Monica L. Miller, a professor and chair of Africana Studies at Barnard College, moderated the panel.
The conversation too focused on the cyclical nature of Black style and its foundation in Harlem’s cultural legacy. McCrory highlighted how clothing can be a form of expression and protection in the world we live in today.
“It’s an important nexus that we’re in—society-wise—and our clothing allows us to create protection to be radically soft in a brittle world that wants us to be hard. And I believe we can build a world that’s more feminine than masculine, which allows for the softness of a creative birthing channel.” – Jonathan McCrory
Miller agreed, adding that she’s still inspired by Harlem as an incubator of creative culture.
“I’m always thinking about Harlem, and how it serves as a creative portal,” – Monica L. Miller
The “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” exhibition will showcase clothing and artifacts created by Black menswear designers. Tremaine Emory of Denim Tears breaks through with visionary design. He has produced a new eye-catching overcoat and trousers with a bold 19th-century-inspired Harlequin print exclusively for the exhibition.
The exhibition will highlight today’s designs next to a striking vintage portrait of Frederick Douglass. In this image, he is sartorially attired in a white collar-up, dress shirt, an ascot and double-breasted suit. This addition emphasizes the role fashion has played in boldly communicating identity and culture in the Black community throughout history.
The event at The Apollo Stages was a joyful reminder of Harlem’s deep cultural legacy. It ignited conversations that will continue until the Met Gala. Attendees posed north of the White House with the freezing 35-degree temperatures, including a freeze warning still in effect. They facilitated dynamic discussions that connected historical impact with the innovative, new directions of fashion.