This August marks the 40th anniversary of model Beverly Johnson’s iconic 1974 Vogue cover that made her the first African American woman to grace the cover of the fashion bible. After being told by Eileen Fisher that she would never get the cover, Johnson took her talent and beauty to Wilhelmina Models and it was there where the magic happened. A year later, she went on to become the first black woman to grace the cover of French Elle, while also breaking down barriers on the runway.
Of course being one of few brown faces in the modeling industry led Johnson to face much adversity in her career, but despite the criticism and naysayers, Johnson went on to become a legend in the world of fashion and beauty.
With more than four decades in the fashion business under her belt, we take a trip down memory lane, highlighting Johnson’s most prominent career moves that took her from earning $100 for a Vogue cover to becoming a millionaire CEO.
A year after her Vogue cover, Beverly Johnson made history again by becoming the first black woman to grace the front of French Elle. From there, magazine covers like Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many more kept rolling in, making Johnson the face of the ’70s.
Over time, Johnson has graced more than 500 magazine covers, further proving her lasting legacy in the business.
Runway Days
Dubbed as fashion’s “first black supermodel,” Beverly Johnson broke down several racial barriers as she was the first African American woman to walk the runway for many high-fashion designers including Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and many more.
Recognizing the scarcity of black models in the industry, Johnson made it her duty to give back and mentor young models coming after her.
“I remember driving Naomi Campbell to jobs and Tyra Banks, and even Iman when she first came from Africa,” Johnson tells the Daily Mail.
Published Advice Book
Using the beauty and health tips that led her to becoming the face of fashion, Johnson released her first advice book, Beverly Johnson’s Guide to a Life of Health and Beauty in 1981.
Acting/Television Career
After reaching model success, Johnson decided to take her talents to Hollywood and test the waters in acting. She landed roles in several films including, “Ashanti,” “How to Be a Player,” “Crossroads” and hit television show “Law and Order,” just to name a few.
In addition to acting, Johnson also earned a time slot in 2012 on Oprah Winfrey’s Network for her own reality documentary series titled “Beverly’s Full House.”
Cosmetics Business
In 1995, Johnson stepped into full CEO mode when she launched her Beverly Johnson Skin Care System cosmetics line. In 2012, she followed up and created a Beverly Johnson Hair Collection in partnership with renowned Indian Hair companies.
Serving as one of the first models to transcend from fashion into business, Johnson has no problem sharing her career journey and has even talked about entrepreneurship at the 2012 Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit.