28 Days Of Black History: Who Was The First Black Model to Work for French Designers?

Dorothea Towles Church was the first model to walk the runway for French designers.

Dorothea Towles Church (July 26, 1922 – July 7, 2006)

Dorothea Towles Church was born on July 26, 1922. After graduating from Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, Church moved to L. A  where she enrolled at the Dorothy Farrier Charm and Modeling School, becoming the first African American student to attend.

After marrying her husband, the two took a trip to Paris. While there she looked for modeling work, she ended up being hired by designer Christian Dior to replace a model who was on vacation.

Church modeled in Paris for five years during the 1950s and worked with other famous designers such as Elsa Schiaparelli, Robert Piguet, Jacques Fath, and Pierre Balmain.

“If you’re beautiful, they don’t care what color you are.…For once I was not considered black, African American, or Negro.”

Church was the first black woman to become accepted into the world’s top fashion houses in Paris. She broke barriers because back then the fashion industry was not accepting of anyone non-white both in Europe and the U.S. Though Church had become a successful model, she still experienced some racial prejudice from designers.
“Pierre Balmain’s staff refused her request to borrow dresses for a photoshoot with Ebony magazine because they were concerned white clients would be displeased. Furthermore, they said African-American women would not be interested in, nor could they afford to buy, Balmain’s clothes.”

In 1954, Church returned to the United States where she settled in New York City hoping to find work with top American designers, only found, that few would hire black models.
She eventually signed with the New York modeling agency Grace del Marco. Church continued modeling during the 1960s and 70s, where opportunities continued to grow in the U.S. She later returned to Europe to model, eventually opening up a charm school for teenage girls.

Source:tshaonline