History: Pioneers of Queer Black Fashion
Zinjiswa Malanka
When we think about the concepts of fashion and blackness, the role of history is always emphasized: our culture, clothing, hairstyles, and accessories have a longstanding relationship to this history, which is undoubtedly intertwined with oppression.
In this article, we explore aspects of Black culture as they relate to fashion. We look at Black queer fashion pioneers and how their lives, struggles, and desire to make an impact have shaped what it means to be queer in the fashion world, and what it means to be LGBTQ+ in BIPOC spaces.
The LGBTQ+ community has been ahead of the game when it comes to fashion. While BIPOC have a long and shaky history of embracing queerness within their communities (largely as a result of colonialism), we must acknowledge the role that Black LGBTQ+-identifying people have played in creating safe queer spaces everywhere, including in fashion. While not identifying as cisgender or heterosexual will always carry discrimination in this world, we must keep in mind that even “safe” LGBTQ+ spaces have not always been safe for Black LGBTQ+ individuals.
Fashion is expression, freedom, and art. What we wear reflects how we see ourselves and how we see others. Black fashion has been and continues to be scrutinized for the mentality associated with colonial structures. Whiteness was seen as the norm, the standard of beauty, and BIPOC artistic expression was portrayed as primitive or less meaningful. However, this is not true at all, and our clothing can enlighten someone about where we come from, who we owe allegiance to, and what our history has entailed. Our hairstyles can do the same. Many African women brought across the Atlantic as slaves braided rice grains into their hair for food. This significantly changed the type of rice available in North America.
The LGBTQ+ community has borrowed heavily from BIPOC LGBTQ+ culture. Language (particularly AAVE), accessories like acrylic nails, and even mannerisms and dance moves typically associated with Black women have become symbols for the LGBTQ+ community as a whole. This isn’t inherently a bad thing, but rather an opportunity to pay tribute to Black LGBTQ+ fashion pioneers.
For Black people, looking androgynous is a form of rebellion, escaping the constraints of gender into a realm of existence that allows them to be themselves. Explore more contemporary figures who embody the exploration of gender and the concept of androgyny in fashion, such as A$AP Rocky, Jaden Smith, Willow Smith, Billy Porter, and Janelle Monae. Androgyny is not the only area where Blackness, fashion, and queerness collide. There’s something fun about knowing you can be masculine, feminine, androgynous, or just be yourself through what you wear.
These people stand on the shoulders of giants. Their ability to dress androgynously and push the boundaries of fashion is earned by a history of innovation. The fashion industry is a space for Black LGBTQ+ creators to exercise artistic freedom, showcase their history, and plead for a more inclusive platform so future generations can do the same. Marsha P. Johnson, Grady Bentley, and Willie Ninja were some of the pioneers who struggled for self-expression and, through that struggle, paved the way for us to experience fashion free from constraint and fear, at least in large part.
Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992) was a transgender rights activist, one of the key figures in the 1969 Stonewall riots, a drag queen and a campaigner for civil rights and HIV positive rights. She performed across the US and her achievements are a reminder that the LGBTQ+ community stands on the shoulders of black trans women.
Gladys Bentley (1907-1960) was a lesbian singer and performer famous for her transvestite, performing in top hats and tuxedos at a time when it was highly unusual for women to dress in such clothing. She was celebrated in her community as a fashion pioneer.
Willie Ninja (1961-2006) was a dancer and choreographer best known for creating the iconic dance known as voguing, a dance move characterized by sharp angular gestures and exaggerated poses that became a staple on runways and catwalks around the world – all while becoming a pop culture phenomenon embraced by both the global fashion stage and the LGBTQ+ community.
While there’s still a long way to go in improving perceptions of what it means to be LGBTQ+ and Black, one thing is for sure: the LGBTQ+ community has had an impact on the fashion world, and it’s mainly thanks to Black men and women (and everyone in between) who have paved the way for us to discover ourselves in a new light.
Current Creative: Black Models
Lulu Cara
Black models have been bringing the magic of Black women to the fashion runways. Growing up watching the likes of Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks revolutionize the runway, and now seeing Iman, Adut Akech, and Duckie Tott (and many more, the list is endless) opening and closing major shows is a reason to be grateful and celebrated. As a person who is obsessed with all things fashion related, it is exciting to see the platforms filled with more Black models, Black art, Black magic, and Black music. Even better, this spring brings with it the hope that more Black models will be featured not only on the runway, but on magazine covers, in makeup, and in the fashion industry as a whole.
Over the past few decades, the fashion industry has been marked by a history of racial supremacy. Many of the stories of black models have revealed that they feel unappreciated, with their work being downplayed and outvoted. Recently, controversy arose over British Vogue’s feature on South Sudanese models. Many readers felt that in their attempt to showcase these incredible models, Vogue had altered them so much that they ended up showcasing themselves and the black models they wanted on their cover, rather than showcasing their true selves, their real skin and authenticity.
Yet, there are efforts being made in the fashion industry to promote inclusivity, giving Black creators the opportunity to redefine fashion, be authentic, and make it their own. Celebrating the achievements and accomplishments of Black models doesn’t just validate their talent; it inspires other aspiring Black creators to keep moving forward, believe in themselves and their abilities, make headlines, become icons, get more and more creative, and know they can be anything. Today, I choose to acknowledge and celebrate all the Black beauties who are doing their best in their own way and making the runway and the fashion industry their own.
