Naomi Campbell and the Trailblazing Black Models Who Transformed Fashion
As a new exhibition opens in London, exploring Naomi Campbell’s illustrious career, we reflect on the pioneering black models who paved the way in fashion, including Beverly Johnson, the first black model to grace American Vogue’s cover.
“Do you want to be a model?” talent scout Beth Boldt asked a group of schoolgirls in Covent Garden, London. Fifteen-year-old Naomi Campbell assumed Boldt was speaking to her fair-haired friends. But Boldt had eyes only for Campbell. “I’m talking to you,” she said.
This shy teenager would go on to become the most renowned black model in history. Naomi Campbell’s extraordinary versatility, iconic runway walk, and dynamic media presence have solidified her status as a supermodel and an advocate for equal rights in a historically exclusive industry.
Celebrating a 40-Year Legacy
Opening at London’s Victoria & Albert Museum on June 22, the exhibition NAOMI: In Fashion celebrates Campbell’s four-decade career. It showcases her highs and lows, including memorable outfits like the infamous blue Vivienne Westwood heels that caused her to fall on the runway in 1993, and the silver Dolce & Gabbana gown she wore for her last day of community service after a misdemeanor assault conviction.
Campbell’s determination to defy societal expectations was evident when she became French Vogue’s first black cover model in 1988. When initially declined, she enlisted Yves Saint Laurent, a major Vogue advertiser, who threatened to pull ads unless she was featured.
Pioneering Equal Representation
“I definitely had to fight harder,” Campbell reflects in the V&A exhibition book. She recounts how some industry figures simply admitted they hadn’t considered using a black model, spurring her to push boundaries.
Campbell honors predecessors like Donyale Luna, the first black model on Harper’s Bazaar’s cover in 1965. Despite being an illustration with pale pink skin, Luna’s groundbreaking presence led to a darker-skinned depiction on British Vogue’s cover a year later, albeit still playing into “exotic” stereotypes.
Redefining Black Beauty
US writer and model Barbara Summers, in her 1998 book Skin Deep: Inside the World of Black Fashion, addresses the historical marginalization of black beauty. Summers explores the damaging legacy of slavery and the societal pressures to conform to white beauty standards, which persisted into the 20th century with products like skin lighteners.
During the civil rights movement, models like Naomi Sims took bold steps, directly approaching photographers and landing significant magazine covers. Sims championed Beverly Johnson, who celebrated the 50th anniversary of her historic American Vogue cover last year.
In 1988, icons Iman and Bethann Hardison founded the Black Girls Coalition, advocating for equal representation and pay. Campbell joined shortly after, describing Hardison as “a second mother.” Their efforts led to significant milestones, such as the all-black issue of Vogue Italia in 2008, which sold out quickly in the UK and US.
Continued Advocacy and Progress
Campbell’s activism, inspired by figures like Nelson Mandela, has been central to her work. She promotes African designers and supports events like Arise Fashion Week, showcasing African fashion.
Despite progress, challenges remain. The Fashion Spot’s report showed a rise in models of color at New York Fashion Week from 20% in 2015 to over 50% in 2022. However, issues like the lack of makeup artists skilled in black skin tones persist, as highlighted by model Megan Milan’s viral TikTok post.
British-Ghanaian model TJ Sawyerr discusses the industry’s “performative tokenism” but also acknowledges the positive impact of seeing successful black models. He now works behind the scenes, promoting black talent and celebrating black culture.
A Lasting Impact
Naomi Campbell, through her career and advocacy, has reshaped fashion’s narrow beauty standards. As US model Veronica Webb states in the 2022 documentary Supreme Models, “Black women have more DNA on this planet than anyone else… No aspect of our beauty should ever be denied.”
From breaking barriers to lifting emerging talents, Campbell has indelibly changed the fashion world, ensuring that the beauty and diversity of black women are celebrated.
