Wicked Wednesday: Afro's and Fashion
Pat Cleveland
Pat Cleveland was discovered by the editor of Vogue in 1967 as she was traveling on a New York subway. Her career took off in the 70’s as people became mesmerized by her mulatto features. With a Cherokee, Irish and African America heritage she was marked by light skin and flowing black hair that allowed her to "pass" enough to use "Whites Only" washrooms.
Her distinctive features allowed her great fame and success but not enough to disenchant her with the obvious racism and lack of respect for her heritage. She has recounted stories of her and her fellow colleagues being attacked and even attempted rape from the KKK. This lack of respect prompted her to move to Paris to further pursue her career and she vowed to never return until US Vogue printed its first black cover.
After getting married and making a family she mostly retired but still passed her love of fashion and modeling her daughter, Anna von Ravenstein.
Grace Jones is a Jamaican born model, singer and actress who began capturing fashion lover’s hearts in the 70’s. Her striking features and androgynous looks were hard to ignore and her daring fashion sense secured her as a fashion icon.
By the end of the 70’s she had secured a record deal and secured a name for herself on the US dance charts and earning her the title "Queen of the Gay Discos" After an anti disco movement she released more experimental work.
Then she took a break to focus on film work and
She has also acted in a number of movies like James Bond and Boomerang.
Eventually she did return to her music career and is still performing to this day.
Donyale Luna
Donyale Luna is considered one of the first black covergirls and was the first black woman to be on a cover of Bazaar. She considered a pioneer as far as black women and the fashion industry grows. She was discovered in the same year as the Civil Rights Act by David McCabe who rushed her to meet Nancy White. Nancy was so engrossed by her beauty that she immediately had her drawn and featured on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar.
At the tender age of 16, she was whisked away to New York and enveloped in the world of fashion and beauty where her career took off as quickly as it started.
She found herself hurled into a world of famous friends with access to anything they wanted when she learned of her mother killing her father out of self defense. She found herself immersed in world of drugs and alcohol despite her firm belief against drug abuse.
Like most talented African Americans of her time, she fled to London and her career recovered.
At the time of her death she left behind her 18 month old daughter, Dream.
Alek Wek
Alek was discovered in the UK in the 90’s shortly after her family fled her hectic home of Civil War amidst a dangerous Civil War.
She first caught attention when she made face in a Tina Turner video and then became a common face in ads by Clinique, Victoria Secret and Donna Karan, amongst others.
She has also appeared in quite a few music videos since her career has taken off.
She has also worked on the US Committee for Refugees during her time working for humanitarian rights.
She is both an author, she released the auto-biography "Alek: From Sudanese Refugee to International Supermodel" in 2007, and handbag designer.
She is also a missionary for World Vision, an ambassador for Doctors Without Borders and a volunteer for UNICEF.
Jade
Jade was discovered in Cycle 6 of ANTM. Raised in Philly of African American and Indian heritage, Jade had prior experience in modeling and music videos before her discovery on ANTM. During her time on ANTM she was constantly ridiculed and scolded for her arrogance, although she struggled to recognize this trait in herself. Since her appearance on the show she has had much success in her modeling career.
She has even opened her own productions company "Biracial Butterfly Productions" and featured in several ads for Apple Bottom Clothing Line.
No comments:
Post a Comment