Black Identities: A Historical and Current Review of Representation in the Fashion Industry

This article examines the construction of black identities through male fashion, tracing its evolution from the eighteenth century African diaspora to contemporary black designers. The study explores black dandyism, which combined African and European aesthetics, as both a personal and political statement to assert individuality. Employing a literature review methodology, the study is structured into two main sections. The first provides a historical analysis of the origin and evolution of black dandyism and its influence on the identity formation of Afro-descendant communities in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. The second section focuses on the contributions of designers such as Stephen Burrows, Virgil Abloh, Pharell Williams, and Kanye West, whose work integrates Black heritage into global fashion narratives. By contextualizing these contributions, the article highlights the role of fashion as a powerful tool for cultural representation, affirming the transformative influence of black identities on the fashion industry while fostering conversation about self-expression, identity formation, and visibility. This study contributes an academic approach on current discussions leading up to the Met Gala 2025 exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”