In celebration of the legacy of figures like J.E. Casely-Hayford and W.E.B. Du Bois whose advocacy for African self-determination, cultural pride, and intellectual advancement greatly influenced Black dandyism and sartorial elegance as forms of cultural resistance. J.E. Casely-Hayford, the lawyer, writer, and politician from the Gold Coast (modern-day Ghana), was a leading voice in the Pan-African movement, while his wife, Adelaide Smith Casely-Hayford, championed African heritage and women’s education. Their activism, aligned with the works of Alain Locke and W.E.B. Du Bois set the stage for the Harlem Renaissance, where figures like Aaron Douglas and Norman Lewis used their art to express Black empowerment, heritage, and cultural pride.

At the core of the look was the “M” notch lapel blazer, referencing tailoring for 1800-1850 a period that marked the transition from the 18th-century formality to the fitted silhouette of modern menswear. The dramatic lapel, during the Regency era, was a Hallmark of early bespoke tailoring: sharp, clean and rigorously refined. The three-piece suit itself pays homage to the vibrant energy of the Harlem Renaissance, where fashion became a driving force for cultural pride and resistance.