In this episode of Slaves to Fashion, we take yet another look into the fascinating history of the Black dandy, tracing his roots from 18th century England to his modern presence in the cosmopolitan art scenes of London and New York.
I still think dandyism is such an odd thing for the colonialists to have come up with and adopted. Weird. I encourage you to pick up the book to take a look into the lives of iconic figures like Julius Soubise, a freed slave renowned for his flamboyant style in 18th century London, and Yinka Shonibare, a contemporary Afro-British artist who uses his art to offer a unique commentary on Black dandyism.
And then poke out your chest in pride as you get familiar with how Black individuals transformed dandyism into a tool for self-expression and social commentary.