An epic 70 years chronicling the queens of the catwalk. From the rise of fashion media from the mid-20th century to the present, we look back at the trailblazing Black models who have made an impact on fashion.
For many years, the fashion industry only looked for one body type, and light skin colored models. But over the years, there have been a number of black figures who helped shift and change completely the face of fashion as we knew it.
While now world know catwalk supermodels such as naomi cambell and tyra banks, as major figures who broke barriers and thrived even today. There were models who helped pave the way for them years before they were discovered. Here are 25 Black models who helped shape the fashion industry as we know it today.
1940s
Dorothea Towles
gorgeous Dorothea Towles was the first top Black model to work in Paris. As a teen, she modeled exclusively for Black magazines Stateside. But during a two-month vacation to Paris in 1949, she was discovered by Christian Dior, and embarked on a wildly successful career as one of the most celebrated models in Europe.
During her career, she was a favorite of designers like Pierre Balmain and Elsa Schaperelli.
1950s
Sara Lou Harris
In the late 1940s and ’50s, Sara Lou Harris was one of the top Black models in the country. Beyond being the most recognized runway star on the Ebony Fashion Fair circuit. Harris holds the distinction of being the first model of color to appear in a national ad campaign.
She appeared on the covers of over 25 magazines, including: Ebony, Jet, Tan, Hue. And she became the first black model in the New York buyers fashion show.
1960s
Donyale Luna
Detroit born model donyale luna began modeling in 1965. And within months, an article in Time magazine declared 1966 to be “The Luna Year.”
She was the first Black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue. She was a muse to legendary photographers like Richard Avedon and David Bailey. And one of Andy Warhol’s superstars in the 60s, appearing in several of his films.
Famously a fan of LSD, the devastatingly beautiful model died of a drug overdose at 39.
Naomi Sims
In the late ’60s and early ‘70s, the Widely credited as the first african american supermodel graced hundreds of runways and magazines covers all over the world.
Naomi Sims was the first Black model to appear on the cover of Ladies’ Home Journal in 1968 as well as the 1969 issue of Life, and her career took off afterward.
At the height of her career, in 1973, Sims retired from modeling to start her own wildly successful wig line and cosmetics company for women of color.
The trailblazing beauty passed away from breast cancer in 2009.
1970s
Mounia
A muse of Yves Saint Laurent’s in the 1970s and ’80s, she was the first Black model he booked in his haute couture shows.
Throughout her modeling career, she almost exclusively worked with Saint Laurent.
Beverly Johnson
Beverly johnson set several firsts in her career as a black model, and was named by The New York Times to be one of the most influential people in fashion of the 20th century.
Gorgeous Beverly Johnson made worldwide headlines, when she became the first Black model to land the cover of American Vogue in 1974, as well as the first Black model to cover French Elle that following year.
Her cover had such a powerful effect on the fashion industry that, by 1975, all of the major mainstream magazines had run a woman of color on the cover. She also inspired lots of American designers to include Black models in their runway shows the next year and thereafter.
Johnson also went on to act in several movies; star as celebrity judge on the TV Land reality series, “She’s Got the Look.” And launch the uber-popular Beverly Johnson Hair Collection line of wigs for African American women.
Pat Cleveland
In the ‘70s, no one worked a runway like supermodel Pat Cleveland. The Black/Cherokee/Irish stunner dazzled the likes of Halston, Steven Burrows and Yves Saint Laurent. And set the standard for runway walking with her ethereal dance-prance.
Tired of the racisim she experienced in the American fashion industry, cleveland moved to paris. And she didn’t return to the US until Beverly Johnson earned the cover of Vogue in 1974.
In 2019, at 68 years old!—she walked in the Hellessy show, pictured here in this amazing red getup.
Grace Jones
Jamaican-born model, singer, and actress Grace Jones moved to New York at the young age 13, when she started her modeling career.
Known for her bold personality and gorgeous skin, Jones is one of the most recognizable faces in fashion, and one of the first Black models to own the androgynous look.
Jones has worked with brands from Yves St. Laurent to Kenzo and has appeared on the covers of Elle and Vogue.
Jones can also boast an impressive filmography – she has starred in over 25 films including james bond, TV shows, and documentaries, some critically acclaimed.
Beginning her music career in 1977, Grace Jones released 11 critically acclaimed studio albums, with genres ranging from post-punk to reggae.
Iman
One of the best known black models worldwide, somali born iman was descovered while in university by photographer Peter Beard in 1975. He was immediately moved by her long neck, high forehead, and elegant features.
She was featured on Vogue in 1976, and became a muse to designers such as Gianni Versace, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Yves Saint Laurent.
Yves Saint Laurent even dedicated his ‘African Queen’ collection to the Somalian model.
After retiring from modeling in 1994, Iman married musician David Bowie, and went on to found her own cosmetics company, IMAN Cosmetics.
She also starred in multiple blockbuster films, including Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and Out of Africa.
1980s
Beverly Peele
Los Angeles-born Beverly Peele began modeling in 1987 at only 12 years old. She has landed her first cover, at Mademoiselle, by the age of 14, and ranked up a number of high fashion jobs in the 80s and 90s.
With her long, sinewy body, creamy cocoa skin, and sultry lips, Peele became an instant star, landing ads for Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan and Versace, and working the runway for Chanel and Comme des Garçons.
Along with Mademoiselle, Peele also appeared on the cover of Vogue, Elle, and Cosmopolitan.
Gail O’Neill
Former fashion model turned television journalist Gail O’Neill was considered one of the top African American models in the world, when she got a spot in the highly publicized sports illustrated swimsuit issue in 1992.
And starring in campaigns for Liz Claiborne, Nordstrom and J.Crew.
At the height of her career, O’Neill famously refused to appear in ads for corporate sponsors that didn’t divest of South African investments.
Veronica Webb
Veronica webb was dicovered in the mid 80s. And upon singning on as a spokesmodel with Revlon, she became the first black model to win a major cosmetics contract in 1992.
In 1992, Veronica became the first African-American model to ink an exclusive contract with a major beauty brand when she teamed up with Revlon.
Webb also walked in the 1995 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. She also modeled for Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel. And eventually became a fashion columnist for Paper Magazine, Esquire, Elle and The New York Times.
1990s
Alek Wek
Alek Wek was the first Black model on the cover of Elle in 1997, and won the MTV Model of the Year award that same year.
In the late 90s, Alek Wek, a model from the South Sudan, became an icon for black women with darker skin.
Alek Wek is a South Sudanese model most well-known for defying beauty standards in the fashion industry.
When Alek was discovered at a London flea market in 1995, the Sudanese stunner immediately made a splash in the modeling world. Her dark skin, her distinctly African features, and her shaved hairstyle, set her apart from the crowd.
Many look up to Wek for showing a different kind of beauty that does not conform to Caucasian standards as a black woman.
She posed in ads for Issey Miyake, Moschino, Victoria’s Secret, and Clinique; and walked international runways include Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Valentino.
Naomi Campbell
The British supermodel began her career in 1986, and still models nearly thirty years later. Discovered at 15-years-old, she soon signed with Elite Model Management.
Naomi Campbell made history as the first black woman to appear on the cover of French Vogue at age 16 in 1988 as well as Time Magazine.
Tyra Banks
Tyra banks started modeling at the age of 15, and was signed to Elite model management at 16.
She was the first Black model to land a solo Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Issue cover in 1997.
that same year, she also was the first African-American woman to cover the Victoria’s Secret Catalogue and GQ magazine.
She was the first Black model to sign a contract with victoria secret and was an Angel from 1997 to 2005.
Banks went on to have a successful career in television and media, producing and hosting the popular reality show America’s Next Top Modelas well as her very own talk show, The Tyra Banks Show.
Lana Ogilvie
Lana Ogilvie was the first Black model to be given a contract with CoverGirl cosmetics. She modeled in magazines like the, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan, and more.
In the ’90s, she was part of the Black Girls Coalition, pushing for more diversity on the runways and in print. Now, she has her own eponymous skincare line.
2000s
Joan Smalls
Joan Smalls came into the scene in 2007, when she finished college and was immediately signed by Elite model management.
She became an industry fixture when she was signed exclusively by Givenchy for Riccardo Tisci’s haute couture show for spring /summer 2010.
As her career gained traction, she started to work with more big brands, including, but not limited to, Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Versace, Ralph Lauren, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Fendi.
Joan Smalls has appeared on numerous covers of major fashion magazines. And also walked in the Victoria’s Secret Show from 2011 to 2016.
she made history in 2011 when she became the first Latina model to represent Estee Lauder’s global marketing campaigns.
She was the eighth highest-paid model of 2018, according to Forbes.
Jourdan Dunn
The English model was discovered while she was in a Primark store in 2006.
a year later, she was walking international runways like Marc Jacobs and Polo Ralph Lauren. And quickly gained attention for her campaigns with Balmain, Victoria’s Secret, and Jean Paul Gaultier.
She was the first Black model to walk a Prada runway in more than a decade, in 2008. And was named Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards
She also made the Forbes list in 2014 for being one of the highest-earning models in the biz.
Jessica White
Jessica White is an African American model best known for being one of the first Black spokespersons for Maybelline.
She was scouted at age 12 in New York after meeting Anna Wintour, and her first job was an editorial for Vogue.
She walked the runway for international shows including; Alberta Ferretti and Oscar de la Renta, before landing successful commercial campaigns with Maybelline and CoverGirl.
2010s
Winnie Harlow
Winnie Harlow who is affected with the skin condition vitiligo, was a contestant on America’s Next Top Model back in 2014. And although she didn’t win that cycle, her modeling career has exploded.
In her audition, she said she was bullied in school for her vitiligo, but she has been at the forefront of changing the beauty standards of the modeling industry.
Harlow has appeared in fashion magazines such as Vogue Italia, the Spanish and Italian editions of Glamour magazine, as well as Cosmopolitan.
She has participated in advertising campaigns for major brands such as Nike, Puma, Swarovski, Tommy Hilfiger, Fendi, and Victoria’s Secret.
Halima Aden
A semifinalist in the 2016 Miss Minnesota USA pageant, she was the first contestant to participate wearing a hijab.
Since her participation, she received widespread attention and was signed to IMG models.
She also become the first African American Muslim model to wear the head covering and a burkini in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Maria Borges
She was the first Black model to wear her natural hair down the Victoria’s Secret runway in 2015.
The Angolan model also inked a deal with L’Oréal Paris to become its new face in 2017. And she continues to kill it on the catwalk, seen here walking at a Christian Siriano show.
Cindy Bruna
After being discovered at 17, she first modeled for designer Elie Saab, before later covering Vogue Italia in both 2013 and 2014.
Bruna made her Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show debut in 2013, helping her land campaigns for major brands such as Chanel, Michael Kors, Prada, and Burberry.
The French fashion model was the first Black model to walk exclusively for Calvin Klein.
2020s
Precious lee
Precious Lee is a trailblazer for black curve models in the fashion world, having made a splash at Versace’s spring/$summer 2021 collection.
she has been featured by major players such as Michael Kors and Moschino during New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2022.
She also appeared in Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty show, which debuted on Amazon Prime Video to much fanfare.
Precious Lee has been the first black plus-size model to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Issue. As wall as Vogue.
