Introduced ©By Audrey J. Bernard
Bold, Beautiful and Black models are reunited at the special luncheon at The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Amina Warsuma, Norma Jean Darden, Pat Cleveland, fashion designer Stephen Burrows,
Charlene Dash, Alva Chinn, China Machado, Billie Blair, and Bethann
Hardison. (Not pictured: Barbara Jackson, Jennifer Brice, Ramona
Saunders ((deceased)) (Photo by Mike Coppola / Wireimage)
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Back in 1973, The Palace of Versailles played host to a fundraiser orchestrated by American fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert and Palace of Versailles curator Gerald Van der Kemp to
raise money to restore the aging structure to provide exposure for
American fashion.The time was right to introduce and celebrate some of
the hottest Black Models of the Day like the ones so featured. French Fashion Designers
as well as Italian Designers have long featured minority models for
their shows. Myself and several other Models, walked the Runways of
Pitti Palace in Florence, Italy 1969 for Valentino’s ‘Black on Black’ Fashion Show,
with creations by Silvano Malta. It was an ALL Black cast of Models
with Everyone wearing Designs that were in the Color Black. It was
Wonderful. These Shows showcased the Beauty of All People to the
Industry as well as The Public. It paved the way for today’s successful
Black Models and other Minorities as well who work constantly without
having to worry about being typecast. People like Naomi Campbell, Iman,
Tyra Banks, Alek Wek
and so many more, have these Women, like the Versailles bunch, to thank
for helping to make the job of Modeling a little easier and friendly.
It’s the same way Josephine Baker made show business
more receptive for many other minorities of the times. Even before the
models mentioned above walked the Runways, French Designers like
Christian Dior, Jean Patou, Ungaro, Pierre Cardin
and a few more, hired Women of Color to walk in their Catwalk shows.
Now, it is very much mainstream for fashion shows to be filled with
Models of different cultures. In the 70s, particularly, Henri Bendel
featured Stephen Burrows clothes, exclusively. He remains innovative to
Fashion as Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Carolina Herrera, Ann Klein, Tracy
Reese, Nicole Miller, Donna Karan, Bill Blass, Prabal Gurung are today.
All of these fashion designers represent American Fashion, worldwide.
French fashion designers somewhat rely of America for setting the
trends. France Fashion Catwalk shows in Paris, many times, reflect many
American Signature styles. New York Fashion Week
is an example of Haute Couture and American Sportswear for the masses.
Like Europe’s Pret-a-porter, American clothes is marketed with the
intention of clothes being affordable. Fashion events like Fashion Week
New York City, FW London, FW Paris, FW Milan and others is a prime
example of the American Fashion industry‘s impact on the rest of the World. – - Find out moreRelated articles
- For Your Viewing Pleasure: Versailles 73 (chiclittleblackdress.wordpress.com)
- Fab Read: Pierre Cardin, 60 Years of Innovation (fabsugar.com)
