It’s Black History Month and to celebrate, we’re taking a look at a major aspect of Black culture: fashion! During this Meetup Live recording, we’ll go on a journey through the timeline of modern fashion and discuss the impact Black visionaries have had on fashion today.
Watch this Meetup Live event with Taniqua Martin, host of the Black Fashion History podcast, for a lesson on fashion history. You will understand the impact of Black culture in fashion, hear the untold stories of Black creatives, and learn how to support up-and-coming stars in the fashion industry.
Main Takeaways and Timestamps:
- Black culture has permeated fashion for the longest time. You may not realize it, but your style and how you present yourself to the world may actually have roots or have been made popular by the black community.
- For example, hoop earrings, baby hair, acrylic nails, street wear, logo mania, elaborate clothing choices, and hats all have roots in Black culture.
- The influence of Black culture in fashion did not just begin with recent trends. The influence of Black culture didn’t just begin in the ’90s or early 2000s. Black pioneers have really been making significant contributions to the industry and changing the way that we view fashion since before the 1800s. When you think back on the history of Black people in America, many of the enslaved black people were trendsetters and pioneers in fashion. Enslaved black women were the dressmakers for the families that owned them, so they were really setting the style for the time.
Black Pioneers in the Fashion Industry
- Anne Lowe (7:06)- The first African-American to be recognized as a noted fashion designer.
- Zelda Wynn Valdes (9:56)- In 1948, she opened her own boutique, making her the first black person to own a store on Broadway.
- Mildred Blount (13:18)- The milliner (hat maker) behind the looks of Scarlet O’Hara in the movie Gone with the Wind.
- Stephen Burrows (15:29)- One of the first black designers to become internationally known.
- The Grandassa Models (19:25)- Created by Elombe Brath, the co-founder and lifelong president of the African Jazz-Art Society & Studio, to promote and celebrate the natural beauty of black women.
- Eunice Johnson & Ebony Fashion Fair (22:34)- Ebony Fashion Fair was a traveling fashion show established in 1958 by Eunice Walker Johnson, co-founder of Johnson Publishing Company, the parent company of Ebony Magazine.
- Willi Smith (26:53)- A pioneer in sportswear and streetwear. He coined the term “street culture.” Was one of the most successful Black fashion designers in history at the time of his death in 1987.
- Dapper Dan (31:11)- Harlem couturier was known as the “king of knock-offs.” He made his name in the late ’80s and ’90s as the tailor who provided rap culture with its signature style.
- Amsale Aberra (35:14)- Was one of the most sought-after bridal designers. She is credited as the inventor of the modern wedding dress.
- Supporting Black Fashion Creatives (38:21)
Top Q&A questions and Resources:
- Do you have any Black fashion-related books you recommend?
- Yes, Liberated Thread by Dr. Tanisha Ford is a great one. There’s also the biography of Elizabeth Kelly, she is a black designer from the 1800s. She wasn’t considered a designer then, she was considered a seamstress, but she was very influential in creating the looks of some of the first ladies of this country. She wrote a biography about her journey and fashion in general.
- How can you find out if main retailers have clothing made by black designers?
- A lot of retailers are starting to create black-owned sections. If you go to their website you can type in “black-owned” or look in the dropdown menu for “black-owned,” especially now in February since it is Black History Month. If they don’t have a black-owned section, then you have to do more research. Start with the retailer’s website then go from there.
- Who are your top 3 favorite contemporary black designers?
- At this moment my number one is Hanifa, if you follow fashion you may know her from the digital fashion show she did during the pandemic. This had not been done before that point so she got a lot of virality and notoriety from that. Her designs are classic and amazing.
- Number two would be Kai Collective. I think of them as a black-owned modern-contemporary version of Vera Bradley. Kai Collective also has its own prints if you see it going down the street, you know it’s a Kai Collective look.
- My third would be Izayla, which is now stocked in Saks. Izayla is a women-owned sustainable brand all about women’s empowerment. They have easy cute sets that can go from day to night or resort to every day.
Resources:
Last modified on February 27, 2023
