8 Black Trailblazers Who Changed Fashion Forever (Even If the Industry Tried to Forget Them)

By Alexus Mosley

Fashion, as we know it, has always been shaped by visionaries, but not all of them have received proper credit. Before today’s It Girls and runway darlings, there were designers, editors, models, and cultural architects whose contributions often went overlooked in the pages of fashion history.

At The Styled Chat, we believe in spotlighting the originators — the icons who redefined what style could look like for Black creatives and beyond. These 8 fashion trailblazers broke barriers, built empires, and brought an undeniable elegance, ingenuity, and edge to the industry.

Ann Lowe - The First Black Couturier

Best known for designing Jacqueline Kennedy’s 1953 wedding dress, Ann Lowe was a master of fine detail and quiet luxury long before it was a trend. She trained in segregated design schools, hand-sewed gowns for the American elite, and ran her own boutique in New York. Despite being shunned by the press for decades, her couture-level craftsmanship lives on as a testament to Black excellence in American fashion.

“All the pleasure I have had in my work has been the thought and the hope that I might make women look lovelier.” – Ann Lowe

Dapper Dan - Harlem’s Fashion Alchemist

Long before luxury houses embraced hip hop, Dapper Dan was remixing Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Fendi for Harlem’s tastemakers. His boutique was a hub of Black street culture in the ’80s, dressing icons like LL Cool J and Salt-N-Pepa. Though once shut down by lawsuits, he now collaborates officially with Gucci, proving that what was once seen as “bootleg” was actually visionary.

Eunice W. Johnson - The Beauty Behind Fashion Fair

As the co-creator of Ebony Fashion Fair, Eunice Johnson curated glamorous runway shows that traveled across the country, spotlighting Black models and designers. She also launched Fashion Fair Cosmetics, one of the first makeup lines made specifically for women of color. Her influence transformed both the beauty and fashion industries with sophistication and inclusion.

Donyale Luna - The First Black Supermodel

In 1966, Donyale Luna became the first Black model to grace the cover of British Vogue. With her otherworldly beauty and artistic presence, she redefined fashion modeling in a time when few doors were open to Black women. Ethereal, elusive, and ahead of her time, she paved the way for Naomi, Tyra, and today’s generation of supermodels.

Willi Smith - the father of streetwear

Willi Smith co-founded WilliWear in 1976, combining comfort, color, and culture in a way the fashion world had never seen. His pieces were joyful, democratic, and accessible to everyone, from students to celebrities. Often credited as an early pioneer of streetwear, Smith died at just 39, but his playful and accessible vision still inspires designers today.

Zelda Wynn Valdes - couturier to the icons

Zelda Wynn Valdes dressed stars like Ella Fitzgerald, Dorothy Dandridge, and Eartha Kitt, and was the mastermind behind the original Playboy Bunny costume. She celebrated Black femininity with curve-hugging gowns and established her boutique in an era when few Black women owned businesses in fashion. Later in life, she designed costumes for the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

Ophelia DeVore - The Original PR Powerhouse

Model, entrepreneur, and founder of The Grace Del Marco Agency, Ophelia DeVore opened doors for Black models in the 1940s and ’50s when mainstream agencies refused to. She trained and launched the careers of future stars like Diahann Carroll and Cicely Tyson. More than just beauty, DeVore was about poise, intellect, and building Black prestige through image and influence.

André Leon Talley - The Fashion Oracle

André Leon Talley was more than Vogue’s first Black male editor-at-large. He was a walking encyclopedia of fashion history, an unapologetic force of elegance, and a larger-than-life personality who championed diversity at the top. Draped in caftans and wit, Talley brought Black Southern grandeur to the highest levels of the industry.

“Style is about survival. It’s about dignity. It’s about self-expression.” – André Leon Talley

These trailblazers didn’t just change fashion; they reshaped power and redefined beauty.