I rarely think of fashion when considering leadership. That's wrong, of course, since the multibillion dollar fashion business has long been populated by inspiring visionaries, creative geniuses, innovative leaders, and brave individuals amidst all the self-indulgent egomaniacs.
And speaking of self-absorbed visionaries, the “Halston” mini-series just debuted on Netflix. I had never heard of the 1973 "Battle of Versailles," which pit French against American designers and is featured in Episode 2. It is reminiscent of the 1976 "Judgment in Paris" at which California wines topped French entries in a blind-tasting competition that put American wines on the map.
As was the case in the 1976 wine showdown, the French were certain of their superiority and inevitable domination. They saw the Americans as mere sportswear designers unable to match them in haute couture. A key lesson here, albeit one that always seems so obvious, is never to underestimate your competition - especially those with the optimistic, high-energy upstart mindset of America at the time.
No Americans at this event captured that elan, confidence, youthful vigor, and downright fearlessness more purposefully and productively than the 10 Black women who were among the U.S. models. They stole the show, possibly excepting Liza Minelli’s performances of “Bonjour Paris” and “Cabaret.”
The American designers - Oscar de la Renta, Bill Blass, Anne Klein, Stephen Burrows, and Halston - all bitterly undercut each other at what was nonetheless a moment of decisive American ascendancy. As The Battle of Versailles (2015) book author Robin Givhan wrote, the vainglorious American designers “stumbled” into victory over French couturier superstars such as Saint Laurent and Givenchy. The “Battle” was also depicted in the Deborah Riley Draper Versailles ‘73 film.
The Black American models did no such stumbling that night. They included soon-to-be supermodels such as Pat Cleveland, who is still working today. Cleveland was appalled by the racism evident in the U.S. in the 1960s and ‘70s and pulled a Josephine Baker by relocating to Paris. She said she would not return until Vogue placed a Black model on its cover. She made her way back in 1975 when Beverly Johnson graced Vogue’s cover. Cleveland subsequently appeared on numerous covers herself including Elle, Harper’s, Time Magazine, and Vanity Fair.
These were important cultural turning points in the U.S. The impact of fashion - and of this inflection point in history - is far beyond the superficiality that some ascribe to this culture-shaping, trend-setting, multibillion dollar global business.
The Huffington Post “Game Changer Awards” recognized the importance of the moment by honoring the Black models of Versailles in 2012 because they served as bold inspirations for so many people of color who launched careers in fashion, entertainment, media, and beyond. Even so, Black women and men are still woefully underrepresented in top positions in these businesses. The 1973 Black models had a substantive presence and meaningful impact, and that's well worth noting. The plain truth, however, is that we need many more Black models of executive and creative leadership across these businesses.
Image courtesy of Decades and Vogue.