Step into the fascinating world where fashion meets politics as we welcome Jonathan Michael Square for an illuminating conversation on fashion, politics and Black dandyism. Our timely discussion arrives just before the 2025 Met Gala and the Costume Institute's exhibition, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style."

Dr. Square is the Assistant Professor of Black Visual Culture at Parsons School of Design. He has a PhD in history from New York University, an MA from the University of Texas at Austin, and a BA from Cornell University. Dr. Square was a fellow in the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and he’s also a member of the advisory committee for the Costume Institute’s “Superfine” exhibition.

Jonathan explores how politics is woven into the fabric of Black dandyism and its intertwined relationship with respectability. He offers insights from his current NYU course on Black dandyism and, as a member of the "Superfine" advisory committee, provides a sneak peek of the upcoming exhibition. Our conversation briefly shifts to examine dress codes in the corridors of power — from Capitol Hill (catch our fashion footnote in the episode) to the White House. Jonathan also shares strategies for scholars and students focused on the intersection of fashion, race, politics and culture — during a time when certain terms and academic fields face increasing scrutiny. Special guest, octogenarian Robert William Wiley, also joined us at the end to share how he and his uncles have embodied Black dandyism over the years.

Connect with Dr. Jonathan Michael Square: Instagram and Website

Connect with Kenya: LinkedIn and Instagram

Follow Suited with Kenya Wiley

Subscribe to the Suited newsletter

Join us as we sit down with Darnell-Jamal Lisby, the first fashion curator at the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA), just days before the 2025 Met Gala and the opening of "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" at the Costume Institute.

As a fashion historian, Lisby helped organize CMA’s iteration of "The New Black Vanguard: Photography between Art and Fashion" and curated the exhibitions "Egyptomania: Fashion’s Conflicted Obsession and Korean Couture: Generations of Revolution." Prior to joining CMA, Lisby worked at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, where he organized programming for the museum’s first virtual — and best attended — symposium, “Fashion, Culture, Futures: African American Ingenuity, Activism, and Storytelling.” Lisby holds degrees from the Fashion Institute of Technology, including an MA in fashion and textiles studies: history, theory, and museum practice and a BS in art history and museum professions.

This year’s exhibition, guest-curated by Monica L. Miller and inspired by her seminal work "Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity,” explores the history of Black dandyism and the intersection of fashion, power and identity.

Our fascinating conversation with Darnell-Jamal delves into fashion as a political statement, the evolution of Black dandyism through history, and the boundary between cultural appreciation and appropriation as Black style and culture is celebrated and promoted as part of the “Superfine” exhibition.

Connect with Darnell-Jamal Lisby: Instagram and LinkedIn Cleveland Museum of Art

Dr. Jonathan Michael Square: Instagram and Website Parsons School of Design

Professor Susan Scafidi, Founder and Academic Director, Fashion Law Institute and author, Who Owns Culture: Appropriation and Authenticity in American Law

Kimberly Jenkins, The Fashion and Race Database

Connect with Kenya: LinkedIn and Instagram

Follow Suited on Instagram and LinkedIn

Subscribe to the Suited newsletter

In this episode, we’re excited to welcome Steve Francis. Steve is the former Director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) and he is currently the Founder and Executive Chairman of the Board at IP House. Drawing on his extensive experience connecting intellectual property and trade, Steve offers expert insights on the tariff turmoil, an end to the de minimis exemption for China and Hong Kong, and the potential impact on counterfeit goods entering the United States.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s 2024 IPR seizure statistics, fashion items — including handbags, jewelry, apparel and footwear — remain the top commodities seized. We discuss how fashion, cyber and counterfeiting crimes are intertwined — taking us back to the early days of fashion tech. Steve shares how a lot of these crimes are cyber-enabled, from e-commerce and phishing scams to the growing influence of dupes and social media personalities.

Regarding tariffs and de minimis changes, Steve notes that while costs will increase, the “bad actors are still gonna continue to find a way to circumvent the tariffs.”

Our conversation also covers the U.S.-China trade tensions and TikTok, including viral videos claiming to offer "inside looks" at Chinese manufacturers producing luxury goods. We also delve into the growing counterfeit market for weight loss and type 2 diabetes drugs, particularly GLP-1s. These medications are reshaping fashion and retail by altering the size curve and inventory. However, the GLP-1 boom comes with significant risks to consumers through the counterfeit market. Steve shares how when there’s a global demand for a particular product and consumers go outside that secure supply chain, it creates an opportunity for bad actors to take advantage of the situation. He also explains how his investigative team collaborates closely with law enforcement when combating counterfeits.

In these unprecedented times, how can brands and retailers navigate trade wars while counterfeits continue to rise? Join us as we unpack these issues.

Connect with Steve Francis on LinkedIn

Learn more about IP House: Website and LinkedIn

Brand Protection Guide for Small and Medium Sized Businesses

Connect with Kenya: LinkedIn and Instagram

Follow Suited with Kenya Wiley

Subscribe to the Suited newsletter