Really insightful post, Claire. Two thoughts: 1) on “black tailoring”, I think the use of European/Western tailoring to signify and “flip the script” on conventional sartorial semiotics is part and parcel of the Black dandy ethos. For example, you mention SAPE - what’s interesting about the sapeurs in Brazzaville vs Kinshasa is that European clothing was banned in the latter until 1997 while used heavily in the former before then, leading to some noticeable stylistic differences on either side of the Congo River. 2) I see the UK/US Chair appointments differently. The Met is primarily an Anglophone institution, so to me it would follow that a committee well-steeped in that language and tradition could steward a wider lens on the Diaspora’s styles. I certainly hope the exhibit itself encompasses all the non-US/UK influences to which you allude, and have no choice but to trust this will happen.
Agree 100%. You have misspelled Mr. Enninful's name.
Good catch ! Thank you for pointing it out !
🔥🔥👍🏿🫡
Really insightful post, Claire. Two thoughts: 1) on “black tailoring”, I think the use of European/Western tailoring to signify and “flip the script” on conventional sartorial semiotics is part and parcel of the Black dandy ethos. For example, you mention SAPE - what’s interesting about the sapeurs in Brazzaville vs Kinshasa is that European clothing was banned in the latter until 1997 while used heavily in the former before then, leading to some noticeable stylistic differences on either side of the Congo River. 2) I see the UK/US Chair appointments differently. The Met is primarily an Anglophone institution, so to me it would follow that a committee well-steeped in that language and tradition could steward a wider lens on the Diaspora’s styles. I certainly hope the exhibit itself encompasses all the non-US/UK influences to which you allude, and have no choice but to trust this will happen.