Another Lesson In Black History…Who Was The First African American Milliner To Design Hats For Hollywood Films?

HERstory

Mildred Blount’s interest in designing hats came about when she worked as an errand girl in a New York City hat shop. Her love of millinery [hat designer] led her and her sister Clara to open a dress and hat shop. During the World Fair in 1939, a collection of hats she designed was exhibited, giving her the opportunity to design hats for the movie “Gone with the Wind”.

Mildred was the first black Milliner to design hats for Hollywood films, such as Gone With The Wind and the Easter Parade, in which she rarely received credit for. Her clientele included Joan Crawford, Louise Beavers, Marian Anderson, Gloria Vanderbilt and other Hollywood stars. In 1942 one of her hats was featured on the cover of Ladies Home Journal.

Hats Designed by Milliner, Mildred E. Blount

Bridesmaids Hats Designed by Mildred Blount

Mildred Blount continued working until her death in 1974. Her hats can be found in the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the California African American Museum.

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