“Dressed Like Kings” celebrates Black style and resistance, now streaming on AfroPoP Digital Shorts

In honor of Juneteenth and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Superfine: Tailoring Black Style exhibition, the acclaimed short film “Dressed Like Kings” is now streaming on AfroPoP Digital Shorts.

About Dressed Like Kings

Directed by Stacey L. Holman, the film offers an intimate look at oswenka, a South African tradition where men compete weekly for the title of “Best Dressed”—a practice rooted in self-expression, dignity, and cultural resistance. Through the stories of three men, the film explores how fashion serves as a statement of pride and resilience, echoing similar expressions across the African diaspora.

The release of “Dressed Like Kings” coincides with the Met’s Superfine exhibition, which examines the intersection of fashion, freedom, and Black creativity. Cultural scholar Monica L. Miller, featured in the film, explores Black dandyism, how Black men have historically used style as a form to challenge racial hierarchies and assert Black identity and individuality.

How to watch

Now available on Black Public Media’s YouTube channel, the film invites audiences to reflect on the power of presentation, identity, and resistance in Black culture.

Watch “Dressed Like Kings” here.