CoatTails: Celebrating Black Life Through Style stresses the role of style in shaping Black life, centering on the legacy of dandyism as both a practice and a performance.

Fashion is a tool for self-definition, social navigation, and cultural expression, allowing Black individuals to craft identities that challenge societal limitations while celebrating personal and collective narratives. Exhibiting artists include Taj Posce, Devin Morris, Shawn Theodore, Gabriel Chuks Amadi-Emina, Zenobia Kelley, Lex Marie, and Aliana Grace Bailey.

By collaborating with student Art and Fashion organizations at Notre Dame, this exhibition bridges historical influences with contemporary fashion trends, highlighting emerging expressions of Black style and their continuation of this legacy.

Opening Reception & Fashion Show _ April 23rd @5pm

The performance of fashion in the gallery space will celebrate the craftsmanship and creativity embedded in Black fashion traditions but also affirm the ongoing impact of dandyism, innovation, and self-representation in shaping Black identity today.