“Black is beautiful” -- Bethann Hardison already knew this well before the fashion industry acknowledged it. Working with some of the top designers of the era, including Calvin Klein, and Oscar de la Renta, she became one of the first Black models to achieve international success. As a runway model she was part of the American team that participated in the historic fashion faceoff against French designers at the Palace of Versailles in 1973 where the American designers presented a new, diverse style that celebrated African American models and impressed the French audience. After winning the “Battle of Versailles,” Bethann was emboldened to win the War on a racist industry that systematically excluded models of color. She founded the Bethann Management Agency and represented a diverse roster of supermodels. She mentored Naomi Campbell and others. With her model friend Iman, she co-founded the Black Girls Coalition to promote the visibility and advancement of Black models. In 2013, she cofounded the Diversity Coalition, which held fashion brands and designers accountable for their lack of diversity and provided support and resources to models from underrepresented communities.
