Bethann Hardison

Last updated

Bethann Hardison
Born (1942-09-30) September 30, 1942 (age 81)
Brooklyn, New York
Children Kadeem Hardison

Bethann Hardison is an American fashion model and activist. [1] Hardison became one of the first high-profile black models after her appearance at the 1973 Battle of Versailles fashion show. [2] She is also known for her activism on diversity in the fashion industry. [3] Hardison has received several accolades for her work, including the 2014 CFDA Founders Award. Hardison is the mother of actor Kadeem Hardison. [4]

Contents

Life and career

Hardison was born in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from George W. Wingate High School, Hardison attended the New York University Art School and the Fashion Institute of Technology but did not graduate from either. [5] For a brief period Hardison worked as a corrections officer at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. During the 1960s, Hardison worked in the garment district of New York City as saleswoman.

In 1967, she was discovered by African American designer Willi Smith and began working for Smith as a fitting model, soon crossing over to the runway and print industries. Her first catwalk modelling was at the request of the fashion designer Chester Weinberg, who was supportive and encouraging despite the negative responses from the audience who were not accustomed to Hardison's style. [6] [7] Along with Beverly Johnson, Iman, and Pat Cleveland, Hardison broke barriers in the 1970s appearing in Allure, Harper's Bazaar, and Vogue. In 1973, she was featured in the Battle of Versailles fashion face off, a historical moment in which France's best designers competed against the top American designers of the time. [1] Hardison then joined Click, a startup modeling agency, in 1980, as a booking agent where she produced fashion shows, handled public relations for design houses, and became a contributing editor at several magazines. Concerned with the politics of the fashion industry, Hardison changed her focus from modeling to activism in 1981.

Formed in 1984, the Bethann Management Agency focused on diversifying the fashion industry. Also, along with former model and friend Iman, Hardison co-founded the Black Girls Coalition in 1988 to provide advocacy and support to African American models. [2] [8] In 1996, Hardison turned her attention towards television where she co-executive produced television sitcoms “Between Brothers” and “Livin Large.” Hardison was also named Vogue Italia editor at large in 2010.[ citation needed ] As of April 2019, Hardison works as a consultant for Gucci and the CFDA. [5]

Hardison's contributions in modeling and advocacy have earned her several awards throughout her career. In April 1999, she was honored with the First Annual Vibe Style Lifetime Achievement Award. Later that year, the Magic Johnson Foundation presented Hardison with a Distinguished Service Award. The Black Alumni of the Pratt Institute honored Hardison with a 2003 Lifetime Achievement award. In 2012, she received a Woman of Power Legacy Award from Black Enterprise, and became a Frederick Douglass award recipient in 2013, [9] for her work in promoting diversity in fashion. [10] In 2014, Hardison received the CFDA Founders Award. [8]

Filmography

In 2023, Hardison, along with co-director Frédéric Tcheng, released Invisible Beauty , a documentary about her career and activism. [11] The film premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vera Wang</span> American fashion designer (born 1949)

Vera Ellen Wang is an American fashion designer. Wang initially pursued a career in figure skating before transitioning to fashion. She worked for Vogue and Ralph Lauren before launching her own bridal gown boutique in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Ford</span> American fashion designer and filmmaker

Thomas Carlyle Ford is an American fashion designer and filmmaker. He launched his eponymous brand in 2005, having previously been the creative director at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. Ford wrote and directed the films A Single Man (2009) and Nocturnal Animals (2016). From 2019 to 2022 he was chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iman (model)</span> Somali model and actress

Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid, known mononymously as Iman, is a Somali-American model and actress. A muse of the designers Gianni Versace, Thierry Mugler, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, and Yves Saint Laurent, she is also noted for her philanthropic work. She was married to rock musician David Bowie from 1992 until his death in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina Herrera</span> Venezuelan fashion designer (born 1939)

Carolina Herrera is a Venezuelan fashion designer known for her personal style, and for dressing various First Ladies of the United States, including Jacqueline Onassis, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and Melania Trump.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Roy</span> American fashion designer

Rachel Irene Roy is an American fashion designer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coco Rocha</span> Canadian model

Mikhaila "Coco" Rocha is a Canadian model. She is known as one of the first "digital" supermodels, and is known for her advocacy for younger models. As an author, she collaborated on the 2014 book Study of Pose. Rocha is also the founder of the Coco Rocha Model Camp and co-owner of the Nomad Management Modeling Agency.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA), founded in 1962 by publicist Eleanor Lambert, and headquartered in Manhattan, is a not-for-profit trade association comprising a membership of over 450 American fashion and accessory designers. The organization promotes American designers in the global economy.

Polly Allen Mellen is an American stylist and retired fashion editor. For more than sixty years, she served as the fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. From 1991 to 1999 she was the creative director of Allure. Mellen formally retired from Condé Nast Publications in 1994 and remained a consultant on various projects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naomi Campbell</span> English model (born 1970)

Naomi Elaine Campbell is an English model, actress, and media personality. Beginning her career at the age of 8, Campbell was one of six models of her generation declared supermodels by the fashion industry and the international press. She was the first black woman to appear as a model on the covers of Time and Vogue France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Wang (designer)</span> American fashion designer (born 1983)

Alexander Wang is an American fashion designer. Wang launched his eponymous fashion brand in 2005 and came to prominence after being awarded the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2008. He is known for his urban-inspired designs and use of black.

Haus Alkire is an American fashion label headed by design partners Julie Alkire and Jason Alkire. Both the Alkires are members of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). Established in 2012, the line is made in New York City.

Jason Alkire is an American fashion designer and partner of the Haus Alkire fashion label. His partner and wife is Julie Alkire, also known as Julie Haus. The first public season of the New York made women's collection was Fall 2012.

Alessandro Michele is an Italian fashion designer and creative director of Valentino. He grew to international recognition as the creative director of Gucci, the Italian fashion luxury house where he worked from 2002 to 2022. Known for his maximalist designs, Alessandro Michele revived Gucci's popularity, most notably with a Geek-Chic aesthetic. He had been responsible for all of Gucci's collections and global brand image from January 2015 until he stepped down from the role in November 2022.

Alva Chinn is an American fashion model.

Gabriela Hearst is a Uruguayan women's luxury ready-to-wear and accessories designer. In addition to designing her namesake collection, she runs and operates her family's ranch in Uruguay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heidi Weisel</span> American fashion designer (c.1961-2021)

Heidi Weisel was an American fashion designer. She was the founder and head of design for Heidi Weisel, a New York City-based women's luxury brand. Weisel's signature was creating modern, timeless evening wear with the simplicity and ease of sportswear. She was known for her unexpected mix of fabrics, often incorporating knitted cashmere, silk chiffon, silk satin, lace, tulle, and leather. A Heidi Weisel chiffon and lace design is in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Weisel was a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karolina Zmarlak</span> Polish-American fashion designer

Karolina Zmarlak is a Polish-American fashion designer. She is known for founding the fashion company KZ_K Studio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frédéric Tcheng</span> American filmmaker

Frédéric Tcheng is a French film director, screenwriter, and cinematographer. He is best known for his documentaries Dior and I, Halston, and Invisible Beauty.

Autumn Adeigbo is an American designer of Nigerian heritage. She is the founder of the eponymous women's ready-to-wear and accessories brand. Adeigbo's company became the first brand led by a female, black designer to raise more than $1 million in venture capital funding.

Invisible Beauty is an 2023 American documentary film directed by Bethann Hardison and Frédéric Tcheng. It explores the life and career of Hardison.

References

  1. 1 2 Commins, Leanna (April 29, 2019). "Bethann Hardison on the Battle of Versailles, Gucci's 'Blackface' Scandal and the Future of Black Designers". Fashionista. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  2. 1 2 Peoples, Landon. "After Decades Of Diversity Work In Fashion, Bethann Hardison (Still) Didn't Come To Play". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Bethann Hardison On Model Diversity And The Ever-Changing Face Of Fashion". NPR.org. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  4. ↑ Cadet, Danielle (September 21, 2017). "Whitley's World: A brief history of Bad and Boujee Black Girl Style". Andscape . Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  5. 1 2 Feitelberg, Rosemary (April 26, 2019). "Pioneering Model and Activist Bethann Hardison Looks at Fashion's Past and Present". WWD. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  6. ↑ France, Louise (November 2, 2008). "Black. Beautiful. Barely seen". The Guardian. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  7. ↑ McCrary, Crystal; Williams, Nathan Hale (March 1, 2012). Inspiration: Profiles of Black Women Changing Our World. Abrams. p. 171. ISBN   978-1-61312-344-7.
  8. 1 2 Moss, Hilary (September 6, 2014). "Bethann Hardison: Why Fashion Needs the Black Girls Coalition Again". ELLE. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  9. ↑ www.wwd.com, Rosemary Feitelberg (May 8, 2013). "Bethann Hardison's Crusade For Diversity In Fashion". HuffPost. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Bethann Hardison's Biography". The HistoryMakers.
  11. ↑ Gyarkye, Lovya (January 29, 2023). "Invisible Beauty Review". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  12. ↑ Matthew Carey (July 18, 2023). "Magnolia Pictures Acquires 'Invisible Beauty'; Doc About Pioneering African American Model Bethann Hardison Features Zendaya, Naomi Campbell". Deadline.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.