The Art Gallery of Ontario is opening a major exhibition to the general public on October 13, 2026, exploring the relationship between fashion, identity and cultural history. Titled Sunday Best: The Power & The Glory of Black Style, the exhibition examines the development of Black fashion and self-expression from the late nineteenth century to the present day. The presentation brings together more than 50 garments alongside photographs, paintings, accessories and other artistic materials from public and private collections in Canada and abroad.
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The exhibition focuses on the ways clothing has functioned as a form of personal expression and community identity across the African diaspora. Its title refers to the tradition of wearing carefully selected clothing for religious services and important social occasions. Over time, such practices became connected to wider questions of dignity, belonging and self-representation. By presenting historical garments alongside contemporary fashion, the exhibition encourages visitors to consider how cultural traditions can develop and acquire new meanings across generations.
The project was developed by an international curatorial team led by Julie Crooks of the Art Gallery of Ontario and Jason Cyrus of the London College of Fashion. The exhibition includes work associated with designers and artists from Canada, the United States, Europe and the Caribbean. Visitors can encounter fashion not simply as a commercial product but also as an artistic medium shaped by migration, social change and individual creativity. The presentation places everyday clothing and high fashion within a broader historical context.
