IN THE 1975 camp classic “Mahogany,” Diana Ross stars as an aspiring fashion designer who ultimately—and rather implausibly—overcomes and transcends racial discrimination to parlay a modeling career into her own luxury label in Rome. The film, which remains an inspiration for numerous Black designers and stylists, is certainly a Hollywood fairy tale, but in some ways it reflects its time. Black models like Pat Cleveland, Beverly Johnson and Bethann Hardison were indeed in high demand in the ’70s. The movie’s protagonist,...

Source: Wall Street Journal July 18, 2020 03:56 UTC