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Celebrated designer Yves Saint Laurent greets
Mrs. E. W. Johnson after a Paris showing of his creations. Over the years,
she has become personally acquainted with many of the world's top fashion
designers whose works are featured in the Ebony Fashion Fair show. |
There's not much you can count on when it comes to fashion.
Trends come and they go. But one thing in the world of fashion people can
count on is that the Ebony Fashion Fair continues to lead the way in showing
Black America the latest in high fashion.
The Ebony Fashion Fair has not only premiered creations by
the world's biggest designers, but also made big stars out of some of its
models.
It's been more than 50 years since the show was created,
and to this day it has remained in a class of its own every step of the way.
One dares not utter Ebony Fashion Fair without immediately
having Mrs. Eunice W. Johnson, producer-director of Ebony Fashion Fair, come to mind. A true fashion pioneer, Mrs. Johnson has been
traveling abroad to purchase creations from the world's best-known fashion
houses for more than four decades. During this time, she has earned a place
in fashion history as the first Black ever to purchase from across the Atlantic
for a traveling fashion show.
The fashion extravaganza continues to make history and has
established itself as the world's largest traveling fashion show-the only
one of its kind, Black or White.
It all started in 1956 when the idea for the Ebony Fashion Fair was conceived. In an effort to support a worthy cause, Mrs.
Jessie Covington Dent, wife of Dr. Albert W. Dent,
former president emeritus of Dillard University in New Orleans, approached Mr.
John H. Johnson, publisher, chairman and CEO of Johnson Publishing
Co., to sponsor a mini-fashion show fund-raiser for the Women's Auxiliary
of Flint-Goodrich Hospital in New Orleans.
The
first show was such a success that Mr. Johnson, in consultation with Mrs.
Johnson and Freda C. DeKnight, home service director, then
decided to take it on a cross-country tour to benefit other worthy charities. Ten cities were selected in 1958 by Mr. and Mrs. Johnson
to host the first Ebony Fashion Fair. With the theme "Ebony Fashion Fair
Around The Clock," the show featured four female models with DeKnight serving
as commentator. Ticket prices ranged from $3.50 to $12. The prices remained
that way from 1958 through 1966, with more than 50 percent of the earnings
allocated for scholarships.
A variety of non-profit groups has sponsored the show in
each city, helping many organizations to raise money for charitable causes.
Most often leading social and civic groups and sororities and fraternities
have benefited from the show's efforts. The show is sponsored by nearly 180
non-profit organizations with some cities alternating because of the travel
time frame. The audience grew each year from hundreds to thousands. Today, hundreds of thousands of people attend the show each year.
Over 4,000 shows have been performed to date in the
United States, the Caribbean, London, England, and Kingston, Jamaica. To
date, Ebony Fashion Fair has raised more than $55 million for various scholarship
groups, allowing hundreds of young people the opportunity to further
their education.
Sadly, Dent, the woman who inspired the creation of the show,
died in 2001 at the age of 96.
Attending Ebony Fashion Fair is always quite an experience.
Noted for its eye-catching, jaw-dropping designs, the show has been credited
with helping Black women to keep up with what's vogue across the Atlantic. For instance, in 1975 audiences thought it was the "living
end" when model-former Ebony Fashion Fair commentator Shayla Simpson modeled
a thong, two-piece swimsuit by late designer Rudi Gernreich.
Twelve years earlier the same designer rendered people speechless after they
saw his topless bathing suit!
The
show has been noted for its bold outfits that celebrate the human body. It's
nothing to see sheer camisoles and blouses that reveal breasts, pants that
expose the buttocks or evening gowns with splits so high they become the
talk of the fashion show. And while many of the creations appeared "wild" back then
and even now, it seems that the show is well ahead of its time. Today thongs
have become a necessary fashion statement for women who don't want panty
lines to show.
Keeping
up with fashion trends isn't the only thing for which the show has been recognized.
Throughout the years, patrons are introduced to creations by world-renowned
Italian, French, British and Japanese designers. And, throughout the years,
Black designers also have been showcased from Stephen Burrows to James
Daugherty to L'Amour to B. Michael to Quinton
de Alexander. While fashion is the staple of Ebony Fashion Fair, the show
has also launched careers. Some of the Ebony Fashion Fair models have become
stars in their own right thanks, to their great start with the show.
Famed
actor Richard Roundtree and former "First Lady of the Pentagon" Janet
Langhart Cohen are just a few who got their start as models with
the show. Roundtree was a salesman in a haberdashery in 1967 when Mrs.
Johnson discovered him in New York. Tall, dark and handsome, the dimple-faced
Roundtree was a hit on the runway. He later went on to score big as the smooth
detective John Shaft in the Shaft action movies. His cool leather look ended
up starting a fashion trend for men in the 1970s. Today, men continue to
emulate that style.
Janet
Langhart Cohen, a former co-host of the syndicated "Good Day" show,
also strutted the runway as an Ebony Fashion Fair model. After college she
worked as a model for the show and credits the grace and poise she learned
under the tutelage of Mrs. Johnson for her success in television. Langhart
Cohen was among the first Black women to break into television.
She worked for ABC, NBC and CBS, in addition to BET. The award-winning veteran
of journalism and television currently is president and CEO of Langhart
Communications. She is the wife of former Defense Secretary William
S. Cohen.
Pat
Cleveland, the youngest ever to tour with Ebony Fashion Fair at
age 15, used her experience with the show as a springboard for what would
become a successful modeling career. Cleveland, during the '70s, became
one of fashion's biggest Black runway models. Before the term supermodel
was formally coined, the pioneering beauty was considered among one of fashion's
first Black "supermodels." Terri Springer was the undisputed "star" of
Ebony Fashion Fair from 1959-1964. Today many people still recall the grace
and beauty of the regal, mocha-colored model. The daring and beautiful Springer
hit the runway like she owned it with explosive drama and elegance. And
during a day and age when women with dark skin weren't eager to wear bright
colors, Springer wore bright colors as if they were made exclusively for
her.
Actress Judy Pace , along with the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin , was the first to model in ads for Fashion Fair Cosmetics. After touring with the show, the lovely Pace went on to appear in such films as The Slams, Cool Breeze, Brian's Song and Cotton Comes To Harlem. She also appeared on the '60s TV series "Peyton Place." She is the widow of baseball legend Curt Flood . Like Langhart Cohen, Sue Simmons found a career in television following her stint as a model. A veteran of more than 25 years in television journalism, today Simmons is a WNBC co-anchor of "News Channel 4/Live At Five," and "News Channel 4 at 11 p.m.," New York's No. 1-rated late newscast. Former Ebony Fashion Fair models Wendy Wiltz and Joslyn Pennywell went on to join the cast of the hit television reality show, “America’s Next Top Model”, hosted and produced by supermodel Tyra Banks.
Roundtree
wasn't the only male model to go on to do great things. Eddie E. Hatch landed a role on the soap
opera "All My Children" and later on "Another World." He also did stunt work
for Billy Dee Williams and appeared in movies such as Hot
Shot, Street Smart, The Warriors and High Stakes. Ebony Fashion Fair model Hal DeWindt, a
noted teacher and acting coach in New York for more than 20 years, was involved
with classic films such as Cotton Comes To Harlem, They Call Me Mr. Tibbs,
and Sounder.
---Margena A. Christian is the Features Editor of JET magazine
Ebony Fashion Fair SHOWS: 1958-Present |
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| 1958 |
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Ebony Fashion Fair AROUND THE CLOCK |
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1983-84 |
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FASHION EXTRAVAGANZA |
| 1959 |
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FASHIONS AROUND THE WORLD |
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1984-85 |
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COLOR FANTASY |
| 1960 |
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SYMPHONY IN FASHIONS |
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1985-86 |
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BODY LANGUAGE |
| 1961 |
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Ebony Fashion Fair INTERNATIONAL |
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1986-87 |
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FASHION SCANDAL |
| 1962 |
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AN ORIENTAL FLAIR |
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1987-88 |
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FASHION SIZZLE |
| 1963 |
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Ebony Fashion Fair AMERICANA |
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1988-89 |
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FASHION SEDUCTION |
| 1964 |
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A SPANISH FLAIR |
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1989-90 |
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FASHION MAGIC |
| 1965 |
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FASHIONS IN ORBIT |
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1990-91 |
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FREEDOM EXPLOSION |
| 1966 |
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COLORBALLO |
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1991-92 |
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FASHION WITH PASSION |
| 1967 |
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FASHION REBELLION |
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1992-93 |
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LIVING THE FANTASY |
| 1968 |
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FASHION FREEDOM |
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1993-94 |
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THE RAPTURE OF FASHION |
| 1969 |
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THE FLAPPER RETURNS WITH SOUL |
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1994-95 |
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THE SHINING HOUR OF FASHION |
| 1970 |
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THE LIBERATED LOOK |
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1995-96 |
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THE POWER OF COLOR |
| 1971 |
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WHAT'S GOIN' ON |
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1996-97 |
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THE GREAT FASHION MIX |
| 1972 |
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A WAY TO LOOK |
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1997-98 |
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THE JAZZ AGE OF FASHIONS |
| 1973 |
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THE MOOD OF LUXURY |
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1998-99 |
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FASHIONS TO LOVE |
| 1974 |
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THE BIG WHIRL OF FASHION |
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1999-2000 |
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FASHIONS 2000 |
| 1975-76 |
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THE NATURAL FEELING |
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2000-2001 |
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FASHION SENSATION |
| 1976-77 |
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THE CARE-FREE LIFE |
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2001-2002 |
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THE CHANGING TRENDS OF FASHION |
| 1977-78 |
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THE BODY ATTITUDE |
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2002-2003 |
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SIMPLY SPECTACULAR |
| 1978-79 |
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BACK TO GLAMOR |
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2003-2004 |
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COLOR SPLASH |
| 1979-80 |
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COLOR EXPLOSION |
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2004-2005 |
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LIVING IT UP |
| 1980-81 |
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THE FREE SPIRIT |
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2005-2006 |
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FIT TO BE FABULOUS |
| 1981-82 |
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THE LOOK OF ELEGANCE |
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2006-2007 |
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STYLISHLY HOT |
| 1982-83 |
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THE MOOD OF ROMANCE |
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2007-2008 |
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GLAM ODYSSEY: A FASHION JOURNEY INTO BLISS & BEYOND |
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2008-2009 |
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THE RUNWAY REPORT: WHAT'S HIP. WHAT'S HOT. WHAT'S NOW! |