Black style pioneers make their mark on fashion - Boston Herald

When New York Fashion Week 2021 kicked off last week, it did so by putting the stories of the Black designers who have influenced and changed the industry front and center. It was important to see them given real props — not just because it’s Black History Month, but because the acknowledgement is long overdue.

American history is filled with Black style pioneers, from designers like Ann Lowe, who worked in the 1920s-1960s (she created Jackie’s ivory silk taffeta bridal gown that she wore when she married JFK in 1953, but never got credit at the time due to her race) and the likes of Zelda Wynn Valdes (who dressed everyone from Dorothy Dandridge and Mae West to Josephine Baker) to Stephen Burrows (whose designs helped define the ’70s disco scene in NYC).

FEB. 25, 2021 – The wedding gown designed by Ann Lowe and worn by Jacqueline Bouvier for her marriage to John F. Kennedy, on display at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum in Boston in 1997. AP photo

Celebrated Black style icons abound over the last century, from singer/actor Eartha Kitt’s embrace of animal print in the ’50s and Diana Ross’s over-the-top wardrobe in the ’70s to groundbreaking models like Beverly Johnson (the first Black woman to grace the cover of American Vogue in ’74) to the women and entrepreneurs she paved the way for — Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Iman and, of course, the norm-busting likes of Rihanna — every bit as much biz tycoon as she is model and singer/actor. And could we even talk about the modern love of high-meets-low fashion without Michelle Obama having artfully worn J.Crew one day and Balenciaga the next, and who introduced the country to groundbreaking new designers like Jason Wu (most notably, in that glorious white inauguration gown)?

Diana Ross performs during a free concert on the Great Lawn of New York’s Central Park, July 22, 1983. (AP Photo)

FILE – This Jan. 20, 2009 file photo shows President Barack Obama, left, and first lady Michelle Obama, in a one-shouldered white gown by designer Jason Wu, at the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

And ever more so today, black artists and icons are forging ahead with fresh new ideas and impact on the world’s style. Earlier this week on “The View” (the weekday, ABC TV show where you can catch me regularly), I highlighted a handful of small, innovative and local Black-owned businesses. There are so many, but here are five of my favorite style innovators to watch right now:

FEB. 25, 2021 - Edward Madongorere, co-ounder and CEO of MoonUltra. Photo moonultra.com
Sisters Letisha and Zeena Brown, founders of Brown and Coconut.
FEB. 25, 2021 - Gianne Doherty and Jay Weeks, cofounders of Organic Bath Co. Photo organicbath.co
FEB. 25, 2021 - Zesty Morning body butter from Organic Bath Co. Photo organicbath.co
FEB. 25, 2021 - Some of the fun children's styles from Tokens of Light. Photo tokenoflight.com
FEB. 25, 2021 - Some of the chic, fashionable face masks from Mckenzie Liautaud . Photo mckenzieliautaud.com

Founded in Boston in 2017, MOON Ultra (moonultra.com) is the kind of company that makes everyone look good — in this case literally. Thanks to them, none of our selfies will ever be the same. Edward Madongorere is the Boston native and tech-meets-fashion innovator who, together with co-founder Dishen Yang, created a mobile lighting device — a genius accessory that enhances how we capture photos and video with customizable brightness and tone. It was named by Time Magazine as one of the Best Inventions of 2020, and is winning love from bloggers and Hollywood celebs alike. Madongorere says it best: “Our brand is boldly about storytelling, empowering creators, and using products that shine positivity on the world.”

How much do I love the wonderful and Boston-based Brown and Coconut (brownandcoconut.com)? Founded by sisters Letisha and Zeena Brown, they started the beauty company as a lifestyle blog in 2013, emphasizing the need for living a more conscious and holistic life, zeroing in on efforts to heal acne-prone skin. To that end, the duo turn out gorgeous face products that are 100% vegan, cruelty free and plant-based.

Clean and uncomplicated. That’s the minimalist, pure-as-can-be aesthetic and philosophy of Boston-based Organic Bath Co. (organicbath.co), a beauty company started by Gianne Doherty and Jay Weeks. The couple launched the forward-thinking enterprise after Gianne had a serious physical reaction to her regular body products, and the two decided to create a collection of organic and natural body products that are safe, effective and easy to use. Think shea butter, argan oil, and almond and jojoba oils galore.

As a mom, I love cool kids’ fashion that doesn’t break the bank. So of course I adore Tokens of Light (tokenoflight.com), a company that offers high-quality, age-appropriate and just plain fun clothes for tykes, from bright and trendy tops for kids to camp joggers for tweens.

If accessories really are proof that we’re a civilized species, then it’s no wonder Mckenzie Liautaud (mckenzieliautaud.com) is getting noticed by global press, from Elle magazine and W to the “Today Show” and The New York Times. I love the breadth and depth of the collections — baubles like the lustrous Supearlstar Necklace in 14K gold, the Good Energy crystal necklace and the killer spectrum of over-the-top masks. (Tweed and bead masks, anyone?) And now there’s a limited edition line of masks (#sendnudes Drop No9) in a beautiful range of skin tones. Is it any wonder Liautaud has an enormous cult following in Boston?

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