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Guests filled the Greenpoint Terminal on August 26 and 27 for the 2023 installment of Afropunk, the music festival that celebrates Black art and aesthetics. The lineup featured New York natives like Joey Badass and Teyana Taylor (who broke her retirement to grace the stage), and newer, but equally sickening, acts such as Baby Tate and Durand Bernarr. Artists and attendees alike basked in their decadent attire: moss-embossed suits, pierced pearl fitted caps, and leather, leather, leather everywhere.
Cosplayers Anuli and Sachi used materials they already had at their disposal to blend angelcore and medieval cyberpunk aesthetics into a tribute to Afrofuturism. One resembled a knight, down to the chainmail hood; the other, an angel in white and gold. Another attendee paired a cropped white button-down shirt with a diaphanous tiered skirt and—what else in summer 2023?—Adidas Sambas.
The artists continued the festival’s eclectic fashion. Known for his gender-bending style, Bernarr wanted to bring “the drama” with his matador-inspired look, including body chains, an oversized and fully bedazzled montera, and hand-painted leather pants. Baby Tate—always a colorful dresser—didn’t disappoint, with her signature duck nails, inspired by Easter blooms, and a sharply shoulder-padded hot-pink trench coat. The festival ended with streetwear’s princess Teyana Taylor presenting her final stage performance with red roses, latex, and workwear motifs.
Afropunk truly shows the versatility and range of Black style, expressed not only in the clothing, but also beauty and energy. As a crochet designer, Jhé, put it, “I wanna give the people what they give me.”
Below, see more of the eye-catching fashions from the weekend.
