In recognition of Black History Month, Macy’s will honor African American fashion icon and legend Eunice W. Johnson. As the creator of EBONY FASHION FAIR®, Johnson was well-known for her impeccable fashion sensibility, and for introducing glamorous designs from around the world to African Americans. The annual tour visited 180 cities in the U.S., Canada and the Carribbean and raised more than $55 million for scholarships.
EBONY FASHION FAIR® began as a favor to a friend who wanted to produce a fashion show to raise money for a hospital in New Orleans in 1958. The show continued for more than 50 years. Johnson, a native of Selma, Ala., was responsible for getting the Italian designer Valentino to use black models in his shows in the ’60s.
Fashion Fair Cosmetics®, which Johnson launched after noticing that models in her shows had to mix their own makeup to achieve colors that complemented their skin tones, was the first line of makeup geared toward African American women. The line was sold in top department stores, and stars including Diahann Carroll and Aretha Franklin appeared in product advertisements.
Her husband, the late John H. Johnson, was the founder of Johnson Publishing Company, which publishes Ebony and Jet magazines. The elegant businesswoman died on Jan. 3, 2010, in Chicago at the age of 93.
–torrance stephens
More details of the celebration can be found at www.macys.com/celebrate.
Torrance Stephens, ph.d. is author of the blog rawdawgb.blogspot.com.
