February is the time we celebrate Black History Month, remembering leaders who overcame boundaries to ensure equality and better lives for us all. It’s also the time of year when fashionistas from all over the globe gather at Lincoln Center for New York Fashion Week. The fierce world of fashion gifts us with countless women, originators and modern mavens, who’ve made history and expanded the possibilities for black women. BlackEnterprise.com celebrates 10 women in fashion whose monumental strides bring a fresh awareness to Black History and Black Future.
Ann Lowe
Ann Lowe was the granddaughter of a slave and plantation owner. Born in Alabama, she is credited as being the first black designer. Early in her teen years, she created the inauguration ball gown for the governors wife. From that point on, Alabama’s white society would seek out Lowe to sew their garments. At 16 years old, she moved to New York and studied design, eventually opening a dress shop on Madison Avenue. Ann Lowe was the go-to designer for the wealthiest of families, including the Astors, du Ponts, Rockefellers, Roosevelts, and Vanderbilts. Her fashions were sold in stores like Henri Bendel, Neiman Marcus, I. Magnin and Chez Sonia. Many of them, however, refused to place her name on the tags because of her race. Before her death in 1981, Ann Lowe ran a salon in Saks Fifth Avenue.
Bethann Hardison
A trailblazer from the start, Bethann Hardison was one of the first black models to walk the runway in Europe. Her career began in 1967, and from there she appeared in Vogue, fashion’s holy grail, and on the pages of Allure, Harper’s Bazzar and other noteworthy publications. Since her days as a model, Bethann has used her pull in fashion to diversify the game. She co-founded Black Girls Coalition with Iman Bowie to support and advocate for African American models. In 2013, Hardison penned several open letters to the heads of Fashion Week, calling out each and every designer who didn’t cast models of color.
Stacey McKenzie
Stacey McKenzie went from being teased and taunted as a child to one of the world’s most recognized fashion models. After seeing a magazine spread of Jean Paul Gaultier and Madonna at six years old, she knew then that she wanted to model. Encountering rejection left and right by modeling agencies due to her unique look, McKenzie finally got her “yes moment” and was signed to USA Paris in France by an agent named Gaspard. Things literally came full circle for the beauty when she walked for Jean Paul Gaultier, hitting the runway right after Madonna.
June Ambrose
If you follow June Ambrose on social media, you’ve
probably wondered if she possesses super immortal powers. Aside from cooking gourmet meals for her two adorable children on a day to day, June is the stylist to superstars like Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige. Though still very much on the scene, she’s no newbie to the game and has been making people fly since the early 90s. She’s more than a stylist who picks out designer fashions for celebrities. She actually cultivates her clients’ look, even designing pieces at times (like the time she designed metallic leather pants for Diddy). June founded her own branding agency, The Mod Squad, and most recently created her own fashion line June by June Ambrose.Tracy Reese
Tracy Reese is a Detroit native who came to New York in pursuit of her fashion dreams. A few years after graduating from Parsons School of Design in 1984, Reese released her first collection in 1996. With that debut collection, Reese established her signature: “ultra-feminine, polished pieces layered with intelligent nostalgia, charm and glamour.” A member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Tracy Reese also aids in selecting recipients to receive grants from the CFDA’s AIDS-Fund initiatives.
Rachel Johnson
Rachel Johnson’s fashion sense caught the attention of her fellow Rattlers while attending FAMU. She began selling her statement style to the students and eventually realized that she could
make a career in fashion. Johnson started styling for musicians like Pharrell and Keyshia Cole, and in 2005 Jay-Z introduced the young talent to LeBron James’ manager Maverick Carter. Ever since, the fashionista has been the NBA’s first pick when it comes to style. In addition to James, Rachel’s clients include Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Chris Paul and other star players.Dom Streater
Dom Streater made history as the first African American designer to win the Emmy award-winning Project Runway. A risk-taker, Streater believes that every woman is a rock star and creates pieces that are both chaotic and glamorous, but also functional. Dom was named one of Nicole Millers “Most Fashionable Women of Philadelphia” and has shown her collections at New York Fashion Week.
Riley Montana
Hardly ever is it that supermodels land major fashion campaigns before they’ve proven worthy enough to walk Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week, also known as New York Fashion Week. Riley Montana, however, scored Givenchy’s Spring ’14 campaign before working it in the Fall ’14 NYFW. Prior to her days of getting co-signs from Riccardo Tisci and Naomi Campbell, Montana was grinding multiple jobs at Popeyes, Claire’s and RadioShack. Now, you can spot the tall and lithe beauty throughout the pages of Harper’s Bazaar and on billboards.
Chantelle Winnie
You know you’re fierce when the very woman who made the word famous spots you on Instagram and casts you for America’s Next Top Model. Supermodel Tyra Banks was mesmerized by Chantelle Brown-Young’s pics and offered her a spot on her top model competition show. Chantelle, who’s more widely known as Winnie Harlow or Chantelle Winnie, agreed and the rest is history. While she was eventually eliminated from the competition, Winnie went on to book major campaigns, including hip brand Diesel. What’s special about the rising model is her skin condition vitiligo, which she’s had since four years old. Cosmopolitan, Access Hollywood and MTV have all declared that Winnie Harlow is the next big thing!
Ashley Dunn
Ashley Dunn is a fashion stylist and designer with her own collection. After graduating from Prarie View A&M, Dunn encountered the all too common problem of not being able to find employment. She finally landed a job in Corporate America, and decided to pursue her fashion passion by night. Dunn eventually realized that she would have to leave the stability of her 9 to 5 and push her fashion label full-time. Now,  her cropped jumpsuits, bright color choices and fit and flare silhouettes are featured on popular fashion blog Fashion Bomb Daily, Essence and LA Fashion Snob. The Houston-based designer recently launched her Spring/Summer ’15 collection and received rave reviews.