Black history changemakers in fashion
February is upon us and with it comes the annual celebration of Black History Month. Born from it’s origins as “Negro History Week,” created by historian Carter G. Woodson, Black History Month has been officially recognized every year since 1976. Over time, the dedication of a month to acknowledge and celebrate Black history has been adopted by other countries like the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada.
It is no secret that the widespread education of Black history has been stifled over the years, with the historically significant achievements of many influential Black figures going largely unknown by each passing generation. The only way to counter this erasure is to take the responsibility of education upon ourselves. This series is our way of exploring some of the Black changemakers that have made a lasting impact on our world. Join us as we honor them and draw inspiration from their trailblazing accomplishments that paved the way for changemakers everywhere!
The category is…Fashion!
Zelda Wynn Valdes: During a time when racial inequality and segregation were still rife, Zelda worked in a boutique storeroom and eventually worked her way up to becoming a seamstress. Her career and eye for fashion continued to expand, leading her to design clothes for the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Josephine Baker and Nat King Cole’s wife Maria Cole, among others. In 1948, she opened her own boutique, and "Chez Zelda" quickly became a household name. Noticing her ability to transform women’s fashion and push style boundaries, Hugh Hefner commissioned her to design the original Playboy Bunny costume in 1960.
Image: New York Times
Willi Smith: Considered the inventor of streetwear, Smith created his label WilliWear Limited in 1976. WilliWear became the first brand to create womenswear and menswear under the same label, and was hugely profitable, grossing over $25 million in sales by 1986. Smith played a significant role in making fashion accessible and affordable to the masses once saying, “My mother and grandmother were always ladies of style and still are. I guess they taught me that you didn’t have to be rich to look good. I believe that good clothes don’t have to be expensive.”
Image: Vogue
Ann Lowe: A true fashion pioneer, Lowe’s career spanned several decades as she became an in-demand couturier. Her designs frequented the pages of Vogue and Vanity Fair, but her most notable piece is arguably one of the most famous wedding dresses in history - the ivory silk taffeta gown Jacqueline Bouvier wore when she wed John F. Kennedy in 1953. Despite being the designer behind the infamous gown, she was referred to only as “a colored woman dressmaker” in the press and it was several years before she was given the credit she deserved. In 1968, she opened Ann Lowe Originals on Madison Avenue. Her designs are on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to this day.
Image: VocalEssence
André Leon Talley: The influential fashion journalist was editor-at-large of Vogue magazine from 1998 to 2013, and became its first African American male creative director from 1988 to 1995. He was also Vogue magazine's fashion news director from 1983 to 1987. Known for his signature looks featuring capes, kaftans, and robes, Talley was also a vocal advocate for diversity in the fashion industry. Once referred to as “a creative genius”, he used his influence and position to support emerging designers and mentored many including supermodel Naomi Campbell.
Image: giphy.com
Virgil Abloh: After earning a degree in Civil Engineering and a master’s degree in Architecture, Abloh merged his two creative worlds founding his streetwear clothing brand Pyrex Vision in 2012. The following year he founded Italian luxury fashion label Off-White that ushered in his growing mainstream success in the fashion industry. In 2018, Abloh became the first Black artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear collection. Abloh was also known for his philanthropy and established the Virgil Abloh "Post-Modern" Scholarship Fund in 2020. Later that year his brand Off-White launched "I Support Young Black Businesses", a fundraising initiative whose proceeds went to an organization tackling gun violence in Chicago.
Images: giphy.com
Check out the other stories in this series.
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