The new Superfine: Mastery in Detail exhibit at New York’s Metropolitan Museum is high fashion at its most deliciously obsessive.

Presented by the Costume Institute, Superfine is a glittering ode to the needle, the thread and the unapologetically time-consuming craft that turns fabric into fantasy.

Superfine is a cultural and historical examination of Black style over three hundred years through the concept of dandyism. In the 18th-century, a new culture of consumption, fueled by the slave trade, colonialism and imperialism, enabled access to clothing and goods that indicated wealth, distinction and taste. Black dandyism sprung from the intersection of African and European style traditions.

From the moment you step into the exhibition space you are immersed in a world where detail is the deity.

The lighting is moody. The mannequins stand like silent prophets of elegance. The garments, spanning centuries and continents, whisper stories through embroidered silks, hand-tatted lace and intricate beadwork.

At its core, Superfine is a celebration of human hands and what they can dream, shape, and stitch into being. It’s a reminder that in an age of automation and mass production, there’s still something transcendent about taking your time.

I attend the Costume Institute exhibit annually. In shaded reality, Superfine displays beautiful, creative clothing. Personally, it pales in comparison to some of my favorites, including the extraordinary McQueen, Charles James and Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination exhibits.

That being said, it is still definitely worth a visit.

Take the tour:

Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1000 Fifth Avenue. New York City. Exhibit runs through October 26th, 2025.