��������

ART COLLIDE WHEN THE MET GALA KICKS OFF MONDAY NIGHT IN NEW YORK CITY. THIS YEAR’S THEME IS A TRIBUTE TO THE UNIQUE STYLE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS FROM SUNDAY SERVICE PROTEST MOVEMENTS AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS. IT’S OFTEN THE CRAFTSMANSHIP OF TAILORS MAKING AN OUTFIT. POP �������� 13. CARLA WADE TALKED TO A LOCAL TAILOR WHO HAS BEEN STYLING BIRMINGHAM FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. AT 83, BIRMINGHAM’S ROBERT HILL IS FEATURED IN THIS ONLINE VOGUE ARTICLE SHOWCASING BLACK TAILORS FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY AHEAD OF THE MET GALA, THE 2025 GALA THEME IS SUPER FINE TAILORING BLACK STYLE. IT’S A CELEBRATION OF HOW CLOTHING HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN A FORM OF CULTURAL EXPRESSION IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, WITH A FOCUS ON MENSWEAR. FASHION AND DRESS HAVE BEEN USED IN A CONTEST OF POWER AND ESTHETICS FOR BLACK PEOPLE FROM THE TIME OF ENSLAVEMENT TO TODAY, AND DANDYISM HAS OFTEN BEEN USED BY INDIVIDUALS TO MANIPULATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLOTHING, IDENTITY AND POWER. THIS VIDEO EXPLAINS THE DRESS CODE FOR THE 2025 MET GALA, AND IF ANYONE KNOWS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CLOTHING, IDENTITY, AND THE POWER OF BLACK SOUTHERN STYLE, IT’S ROBERT HILL. WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO CREATE STUFF AND JUST PUT IT TOGETHER DIFFERENT. SINCE OPENING ROBERT HILL CUSTOM TAILORS IN 1983, HE’S BEEN SUITING UP SOME OF CENTRAL ALABAMA’S MOST WELL KNOWN PEOPLE, AND NOT ALL OF THEM WERE AFRICAN AMERICAN FOLKS. LIKE FORMER ALABAMA COACH GENE STALLINGS. IT WAS PAUL FINEBAUM WHEN HE GOT STARTED IN BUSINESS. I HELPED HIM FOR A LONG TIME WHEN I WAS DOWNTOWN. AND MAYOR ARRINGTON, I DID SOME CLOTHES FOR HIM. EVEN WHEN IT’S ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE, THERE’S JUST THAT EXTRA FLAIR. IT JUST COMES NATURAL AND I JUST HAVE A TENDENCY TO CHANGE STUFF, MAKE IT LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT, TAKE A CONSERVATIVE SUIT, PUT A DIFFERENT COLOR, TIE WITH IT, DIFFERENT POCKET SQUARE, DIFFERENT SHIRT, AND IT MAKES IT CHANGED THE WHOLE APPEARANCE. FASHION IS BOTH FLEETING AND FICKLE, BUT HILL HAS HAD AN ENDURING PRESENCE IN BIRMINGHAM. AFTER STUDYING UNDER MASTER TAILORS IN CHICAGO IN THE 60S, HE BUILT ON SKILLS HE HONED GROWING UP IN MONTGOMERY, WHERE HE OFTEN STRUGGLED, FINDING CLOTHES THAT FIT HIM. I’VE BEEN SMALL ALL MY LIFE AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH SUITS AND TRYING TO DRESS AND I JUST PICKED UP THE KNACK OF LEARNING ABOUT HOW TO DRESS A GOOD LOOKING SUIT, OLD MAN JUST DEPENDS ON THE FABRICS. YOU KNOW, THE QUALITY OF THE FABRIC AND THE FIT AND THE CUT AND HOW IT’S DESIGNED. HILL’S BUSINESS HAS SURVIVED RECESSIONS, THE PANDEMIC, AND THE MOVE AWAY FROM MORE FORMAL DRESS STANDARDS, CHANGING THE WARDROBE, CHANGING THEIR DRESS CODE RELAXED FRIDAYS. AND THAT WAS REALLY A DOWNFALL IN THE CLOTHING BUSINESS. AND CUSTOM CLOTHING PER SE, BECAUSE MEN WENT MORE TO A CASUAL ATTIRE. HE MAINTAINED A DOWNTOWN SHOP FOR YEARS. A PICTURE OF IT NOW HANGS IN HIS NEW SHOP IN BIRMINGHAM’S LAKEVIEW DISTRICT. THE ORIGINAL SHOP’S CLOCK JOINED TIES A WALL OF FABRIC SWATCHES AND HIS FIRST DISPLAY TABLE AS CENTERPIECES WITH EVERY HEM TROUSER TO THE HUM OF SEWING MACHINES. HILL IS KEEPING. WHAT HE SAYS IS A DYING ART ON LIFE SUPPORT. PEOPLE WANT THINGS FAST, INCLUDING FASHION. IT’S A PATIENT JOB. YOU GOT TO HAVE PATIENCE TO DO IT, AND YOU GOT TO BE PARTICULAR ABOUT AND PROUD OF WHAT YOU DO. HE CREDITS HIS FAITH IN GOD FOR ALL HE’S ACCOMPLISHED. HE PRAYS SOMEONE SOMEDAY WILL FOLLOW IN HIS FASHIONABLE FOOTSTEPS. I DON’T WANT TO RETIRE. I’D LIKE TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE I CAN COME IN A FEW DAYS, A WEEK, OR A DAY OR TWO A WEEK. THIS IS WHAT I LIKE, I TELL YOU. I LIKE TO HAVE SOMEBODY I CAN HAVE TRAINED TO TO CARRY ON MY BUSINESS. YOU KNOW, I DON’T WANT ONCE I’M GONE, ROBERT HILL CUSTOM TAILORS TO FALL BY THE WAYSIDE. CARL