Designers That Paved the Way

Both the fashion business and the Black community have seen upheaval over the past few years. Black fashion pioneers and African American designers have utilized their ability to build a name for themselves throughout history. Today, Black designers continue to have an impact on global fashion and raise awareness about BIPOC possibilities in the industry. Today, we commemorate Black designers that helped form the fashion industry as we know it today.

Elizabeth Keckley (1818 – 1907)

A former Virginia-born slave became the personal seamstress and close confidante of Mary Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln’s wife, in the 1860s. Although her path to the White House was difficult, Keckley eventually won her independence from her St. Louis masters and established herself as a skilled designer for the most powerful ladies in Washington D.C., as well as a civil rights activist.

Ann Lowe (1898 · 1981)

Ann Lowe was the first African American woman to create a fashion line. The Rockefellers, Roosevelts, and du Ponts all wore her gowns. Her art is on show in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of her color, Lowe was never given credit for her effort. She became the first Black woman to run a boutique on Madison Avenue in 1968. It is believed that she also created Jacqueline Bouvier’s wedding gown when she married John F. Kennedy, but neither the press nor the First Lady gave her credit. She designed the gown worn by Olivia de Havilland to accept her Oscar, although her name was not on the label. Her clients referred to her as “society’s best-kept secret” and she was very picky about who she clothed.

Ruby Bailey (1905 - 2003)

Ruby Bailey was an actress, painter, and, of course, a designer. Bailey, a contemporary of Valdes, was a member of the National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers (NAFAD). Bailey’s creations included a black cocktail dress embroidered with jewel-encrusted spiders and bees Her African ancestry was reinterpreted in vibrant designs that showed a burgeoning Afrocentricity. Bailey was very cognizant of her ethnicity and took part in several fashion events, art exhibitions, and theater events that were only open to New York’s black community. She posed as a model, wearing her creations to Harlem hotspots such as Small’s Paradise.

Tracy Reese (1964 - Present)

A fashion designer from the United States. Reese focuses on ready-to-wear apparel, accessories, and home styles for women. In 1997, Reese debuted her namesake collection, which earned widespread acclaim, and in 1998, she debuted her second brand, Plenty by Tracy Reese. Reese introduced DRESSES by Tracy Reese in 2014, a collection of modern dresses that can be worn from work to a special occasion. Hope for Flowers is a sustainable, slow fashion business for ladies who are motivated by beauty. Reese has clothed celebrities like Michelle Obama, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Taylor Swift. She is a member of the CFDA Board of Directors and is active in a variety of humanitarian issues, including the AIDS Fund Committee for the New York Community Trust.

Stella Novarino (known professionally as Stella Jean, 1979 - Present)

Stella Jean is a fashion designer of Haitian and Italian descent. In September 2013, Giorgio Armani shared his exhibition space and communications crew with her. She has worked with Christian Louboutin, Beyonce, and Rihanna, among others. In 2011, Jean won Vogue Italia “Who Is on Next” competition. Stella Jean’s collection was the first to be shown in Giorgio Armani’s Armani theatre in Milan in 2014, and she was the first womenswear designer to do so. She is the only Afro-European member of the Italian Chamber of Fashion. The United Nations urged her to participate in an ethical fashion initiative honoring artists and craftspeople.

Patrick Robinson (1966 - Present)

Patrick Robinson is a fashion designer from the United States. He is worked with Giorgio Armani, Anne Klein, Perry Ellis, Paco Rabanne, Gap, and Perry Ellis, among others. He is now working on a sustainable clothing brand called Pashko. In 1996, he was designated one of Vogue’s emerging stars. Robinson, who has been a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) since 1994, is particularly well-known for revitalizing the latter.

Andre Walker (1967 - Present)

Andre Walker was well-known for his avant-garde ensembles with irregular shapes. At the age of 15, he presented his first fashion exhibition. In the 1990s, he departed New York for Paris, where he built a reputation for himself. He received the ANDAM Fashion Fellowship, France’s equivalent of the CFDA Award, in 2000. Walker made a reappearance in 2014, designing a limited line for Dover Street Market under his name. As a creative consultant, he has worked with Kim Jones, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, among others.