The 2025 Met Gala’s theme Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, paid homage to Black dandyism and the long, often overlooked influence of Black style on the global fashion stage.
The accompanying exhibition at The Met explores how Black men have used clothing and grooming as tools of resistance, refinement, and radical self-expression.
This year’s dress code, “Tailored For You,” called for sharp suiting and elevated menswear, encouraging guests to reinterpret the tradition of the Black dandy through a modern lens.
But style isn’t only stitched in fabric. It’s carved into every hairline, nurtured into every curl, and smoothed across every clean-shaven or bearded cheek.
A Short History of Grooming
Grooming, particularly for Black men, is deeply rooted in legacy, survival, and pride.
Historically, being well-groomed has served as a form of armor and assertion for Black men.
During Reconstruction and Jim Crow, a well-cut hair, trimmed beards, and shining shoes could mean the difference between being treated with basic respect or with hostility. Grooming was a way to reclaim dignity in a world determined to strip it away.
From the dazzling afros of the Black Power Movement to the clean fades of Harlem Renaissance poets, style and grooming have always intertwined with identity.
Chaz Hazlitt Brings Grooming to the Forefront of Fashion
For Black men, skincare, haircare, and beard maintenance represent discipline, self-worth, and an understanding of legacy. That’s why the grooming that happens behind the scenes and before the steps of the Met matters just as much as the custom tuxedo.
Celebrity barber Chaz Hazlitt (who also styled Colman Domingo for the Oscars) understood this sacred ritual as he prepared Chance the Rapper and actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. for fashion’s biggest night.
He used BEVEL, a brand born out of the very need to cater to the grooming needs of Black men, whose textured hair and skin have long been ignored by mainstream beauty industries.
For Chance, the grooming process started with BEVEL’s 2-in-1 Exfoliating Pads to cleanse and prep the skin, followed by shaping his beard and hairline with the BEVEL Gold Trimmer. The 3-in-1 Hair Oil added the final touch. Beneath his signature hat, Leave-In Styler gave his hair the moisture and sheen it needed to complement his sharp look.
Kelvin Harrison Jr.’s aesthetic was timeless elegance.
Hazlitt softened his curls with the Leave-In Styler, shaped them with BEVEL Pomade, and added a touch of Hair Oil for luster. The Gold Trimmer gave his lines a crisp, refined finish, echoing the suaveness of a 1960s jazz icon with a modern edge.
At the Met Gala, fashion is the headline, but for Black men, grooming tells the deeper story of what it means to show up bold, intentional, and seen.
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Frederick J. Goodall is the Editor-in-Chief of Mocha Man Style, media spokesperson, event host, photographer, and a top social media influencer in Houston, TX. He likes to write about fashion, cars, travel, and health.