By: Mythili Reddibathini
From logomania to Y2K glitz and glamour, Black creatives and culture have been at the forefront of fashion for centuries. Despite not always receiving recognition, some of the most influential fashion movements have originated from Black people. Consider this a brief timeline of some of the last century’s most impactful moments in Black fashion.
In the 1920’s, the Harlem Renaissance allowed African-Americans to express themselves boldly through fashion in a time of racism and oppression. Women often wore drop waist dresses, beaded gowns, furs, and feathered boas. Zoot suits were also popularized during this time. Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts’ director of inclusion and equity Holly Alford describes the zoot suit as just one way, “how the black community also utilizes clothing as a way of making statements and a way to be seen.”
In the 1960’s during the civil rights movement, the striking uniforms of members of the Black Power movement became a cultural symbol. In more recent years, Beyoncé’s 2016 Super Bowl performance went viral for her recreation of the Black Panther Party’s uniforms as an homage to Black culture. Additionally, many Black fashion designers made an unequivocal impact on fashion to little fanfare. Zelda Barbour Wynn Valdes was the designer of the original Playboy Bunny Outfit, but her work went largely uncredited.
Arguably, one of the most influential movements in fashion has been hip-hop culture. Logomania originated from designer Dapper Dan in the 1980s. Based in Harlem, he printed designer logos onto leather goods and played a pivotal role in how high fashion became linked to black culture. Additionally, sneaker culture and streetwear are other fashion trends born from hip-hop culture.
Some of the 2000s’ biggest stars such as Destiny’s Child, Aaliyah, Lil Kim, and Kimora Lee Simmons greatly influenced fashion of the time. Clothing like tracksuits, low-rise jeans, cargo pants, and much more rose to popularity and has recently began to trend again as a part of a Y2K revival that’s taken over social media in recent years.
Some more recent popular fashion trends today can be traced back to black culture. Lettuce trim, a hem commonly used by many clothing brands, was created by Black designer Stephen Burrows. Acrylic nails, gold hoops, and nameplate necklaces were popularized by Black women to express themselves and their femininity. Even more recent trends like using dark, brown and black lip liner were originated by Black and Chicana women.
This year’s Met Gala will follow the theme of “Superfine: tailoring Black Style”. It’s corresponding exhibit in the Metropolitan Museum Exhibit of Art will explore Dandyism. A dandy has historically been a man who is devoted to style, fashion, and personal upkeep. According to the Met’s website, “Dandyism was initially imposed on Black men in 18th-century Europe as the Atlantic slave trade and an emerging culture of consumerism created a trend of fashionably dressed, or dandified, servants.” Black people have since been able to use dandyism as a form of self-expression and cultural preservation. This year’s gala, featuring co-chairs Colman Domingo and Pharrell Williams and a host committee with the likes of Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, is a celebration of that.
