Notable Black Designers:

Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley- One of the first noted black designers. Keckley created President Lincoln’s wife inaugural ball gown.

Ann Lowe- Sewed for the Rockefellers, DuPonts, Roosevelts and Posts;
Designed the dress that Olivia de Havilland an Academy Award winner for Best Actress in 1946.
Her most famous client was Jacqueline Kennedy. Lowe designed the 1953 wedding dress Jacqueline wore to marry Sen. John Kennedy.

Patrick Kelly- His designs wore sold at prestigious retailers such as Henri Bendels, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, and worn by movie stars and celebrities like Isabella Rossellini, Bette Davis, Cicely Tyson, Grace Jones. Kelly signed a five million dollar contract to create a line of clothing for Warnaco, which gave him international recognition.

Barrie and Burrows- The black designers made it big in New York’s garment district in the 1960s. They altered the perception that blacks couldn’t make it in the white-dominated fashion field. Stephen Burrows hung out with Warhol, dressed Cher and frequented Studio 5. Burrows was a Coty-Award winning designer who was also chosen, in 1973, as one of only 5 designers to represent American fashion at the world famous fashion show at Versailles.

Willi Smith- Made sportswear under the WilliWear label ushering in the modern sportswear separates era with his easy-fitting styles. WilliWear grossed $25 million in 1986. Smith,won the Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award for Women’s Fashion in 1983. Caroline Kennedy’s marriage to Edwin Schlossberg- the suits for the groom and his groomsmen were Williwear exclusives

Jeffrey Banks- brought new elegance to menswear.design assistant to the president, Ralph Lauren-design assistant to president, Calvin Klein-later. owner of design business, Jeffrey Banks LTD.

Ann Lowe-Designed Wedding Dress