While Dandy Lion is often talked about as countering stereotypes by showing Black men in something other than baggy pants, Lewis is clear that this exhibit is not about respectability politics. The current iteration includes photos taken in South Africa by Harness Hamese, a short film by Terrance Nance, and interviews filmed during London’s African Street Style Festival in which participants talk about redefining what it means to be Black men in urban environments. The traveling exhibition is in its sixth year of showing across the country and internationally. "I feel like Dandy Lion is a juxtaposition of a very narrow, pathological story about Black people and specifically about Black men.” Sara Shamsavari, 'Terrence Lathan, London,' 2013. “There’s a necessity to express a multitude of stories that explain and also express our true selves, our culture, our aesthetics, our spirituality, and our cosmology," says Lewis.
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Lewis, curator of Dandy Lion: (Re) Articulating Black Masculinity, on view at MoAD through September. “There’s a state of urgency, not just here in the U.S., but also around the world,” says Shantrelle P. The crisp tailoring invokes the dapperness of the Harlem Renaissance. Urban landscapes from New York to Moscow serve as their backdrop. The colors, accents and textures are all intentional. The men look like they’ve contemplated every detail of their well-fitting ensembles. It’s amazing what one kiss can do,” de Jong said in a statement to Business Insider.Īnd on that note, I think I know where my next suit is coming from.The second floor of San Francisco's Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) is lined with beautiful photos of Black men in suits.
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However, the new followers and positive messages that have been prominent in our social media is a good indicator that this campaign has been well received and has impacted many people positively. “We do not aim to and cannot control the reactions. The response from CEO Fokke de Jong a few weeks ago aligned with that sentiment. While blatant homophobia has and will always exist, however, there’s comfort in knowing that brands like Suitsupply will continue to lead the charge by breaking down the concept of "masculinity," as well as the general acceptance of LGBTQ+ people. I’ve read countless stories just this week saying that the physical campaigns displayed around the Netherlands have been vandalized with messages and symbols of hate in an apparent gesture of reclaiming what heterosexual masculinity means to many. And what’s the difference between depicting two men, versus a man and a woman, in an embrace to sell suits?
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Because let’s be real-gay men, like all men, often buy suits. While I'm aware the brand has been slammed in the past for sexist ads (and it's honestly unclear whether or not this campaign was intended to turn that image around), it appears overall that we’re making strides in some way to push inclusivity and diversity. So you can imagine my curiosity when Amsterdam-based suit startup Suitsupply released its S/S 18 campaign featuring men in various acts of embrace, including kissing. Frankly, I’m just not the type of man that many of the campaigns for non-gay publications and websites typically showcase (i.e., hyper-masculine and attracted exclusively to women). For me personally, however, the issue with most male-focused ads is that unless they’re super fashion-focused or avant-garde (re: Gucci), I often can’t envision myself within those lifestyles. For the latter, I typically let my personal style and the market guide my purchasing decisions, but I do understand the importance of advertising as a medium to sell clothing as well-especially as it pertains to the “lifestyle” of the brand someone’s buying into.
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I also love fashion and, as the editorial director of this website, spend the majority of my day talking about clothes or shopping for my own wardrobe.