The
fashion world has lost an immense icon and
entrepreneur. Naomi Sims, often considered the first
Black supermodel, passed away on August 1, after a
battle with breast cancer, in Newark , New Jersey. She
was 61.
Born in Oxford, Mississippi, Sims was taunted by her
peers due to her height.
Graduating from Westinghouse High School, Sims came
to New York City on a scholarship to attend the
Fashion Institute of Technology. In 1966 the
fashion industry was still closed to Black models.
Despite setbacks, of being turned down by
numerous modeling agencies, her drive to succeed and
stunning looks pushed her forward.
Naomi Sims had photographer Gosta Peterson to
photograph her for the August 1967 New York Times
fashion supplement, that put Sims on the forefront of the modeling
industry and was the first Black woman to graced the cover
of Ladies’ Home Journal
Sims eventually earned $1,000 a week. She
became involved with a prominent AT&T campaign that
included a White and Asian model. Throughout her modeling career, Sims was featured in Life Magazine,
Cosmopolitan, and modeled for designers such as
Halston, Giorgio di Sant'Angelo, Fernando Sánchez and
Teal Traina.
Naomi Sims vision paved the way for Black top models such
as Tyra Banks & Naomi Campbell
