10 Black Designers Who Have Shaped The Fashion Industry

In 1949, Zelda Wynn Vales was commissioned to create the first Playboy Bunny costume. In 1953, Ann Lowe designed an ivory taffeta wedding dress for Jackie Kennedy. In the 1970s, Stephen Burrows pioneered the now-iconic lettuce hem. All this to say: Black creatives have long been the driving force behind fashion’s most transformative moments.

And this sentiment rings true today. One well-known designer is Aurora James, who needs no introduction among fashion insiders. Currently based in Los Angeles, the Brother Vellies founder is recognized for her signature hand-painted cowboy boots and strappy sandals, as well as for creating the Fifteen Percent Pledge Foundation in 2020. Olivier Rousteing, meanwhile, reimagined Balmain during his tenure as creative director from 2011 to 2025, ushering in a bold, glamorous new chapter for the heritage house. And lest we forget about Diotima’s founder, Rachel Scott, who was recently appointed the creative director of Proenza Schouler, succeeding Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez. Scott presented her debut collection for the luxury label this month, which received glowing reviews from industry insiders.

As February marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, we’re honoring the trailblazers who have shaped fashion over the past century. Below, discover 10 Black designers whose contributions to the industry have been instrumental.

Zelda Wynn Valdes

As mentioned, Valdes is perhaps best known for designing the original Playboy Bunny costume — but that was only one chapter of her storied career. In 1948, she was the first Black designer to open a boutique in Manhattan, located on Broadway and West 158th Street. A force to be reckoned with in Hollywood, Valdes designed clothing for celebrities like Dorothy Dandridge, Eartha Kitt, Ella Fitzgerald, Marlene Dietrich, and Josephine Baker. In 1949, Valdes became the president of the New York Chapter of NAFAD, the National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers, which created opportunities for Black fashion designers, stylists, and manufacturers.

Ann Lowe

Yes, Lowe was responsible for designing Jackie Kennedy’s wedding dress for her marriage to then-Senator John F. Kennedy. As a result, the 1950s marked the peak of her career. During the decade, she debuted Ann Lowe Inc. with business partner Grace Stelhi, wife of the owner of Stelhi Silks, becoming the first African American to own a couture salon on Manhattan’s Madison Avenue. Years later, in 1964, The Saturday Evening Post dubbed Lowe “Society’s Best-Kept Secret,” according to the Winterthur Museum. In addition to the former First Lady, the designer made couture gowns for the likes of Olivia de Havilland and Marjorie Merriweather Post.

Stephen Burrows

Burrows was immersed in fashion from a young age. Born in 1943 in Newark, New Jersey, his grandparents worked as sample hands in the garment center. Following in their footsteps, he graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a degree in fashion design in 1966. His use of featherweight Jasco-brand jersey put him at the forefront of fashion, with Burrows’ lettuce hem technique — a curling hem caused by overstretching the jersey — quickly becoming his signature.

Burrows achieved numerous milestones throughout his career, including becoming the first Black designer to win a Coty award. He also made history as the only Black designer selected to represent the United States at the famed 1973 Battle of Versailles.

Patrick Kelly

Living in Atlanta in the ‘70s, Patrick Kelly volunteered to design window displays for a Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche boutique, kicking off his career in fashion. In 1979, he moved to New York to study at the Parsons School of Design; however, he became frustrated by the lack of opportunities for Black designers in the fashion industry, which led him to move to Paris that same year. In 1985, his first “Patrick Kelly Paris” commercial collection was featured in a six-page spread in French Elle. From there, the designer gained major recognition for his vibrant, body-conscious designs (some of which included hundreds of mismatched plastic buttons), with fashion conglomerate Warnaco investing in his business in the late ‘80s.

Willi Smith

In 1971, Willi Smith became the youngest designer ever nominated for a Coty Award, later winning the Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award for Women’s Fashion in 1983. After a stint at the sportswear brand Digits, he started WilliWear, a womenswear line, with close friend Laurie Mallet in 1976. Popularizing “street couture,” the label earned a whopping $5 million in its second year of business. In 1986, Smith teamed up with Kim Hastreiter, the founder of Paper magazine, to create two editions of a newsletter titled WilliWear News.

Tracy Reese

Tracy Reese attended Parsons New School for Design, where she received an accelerated degree in 1984. Following graduation, the designer apprenticed under designer Martine Sitbo while also working for Arlequin, a small contemporary firm. After honing her skills, Reese debuted her namesake label in 1997, which became revered for its striking colors and prints, as well as modern silhouettes. A year later, she introduced a second line, Plenty by Tracy Reese, focusing on everyday essentials. Over the course of her career, Reese has built a loyal following that includes Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, and Sarah Jessica Parker. Today, she serves on the CFDA Board of Directors.

Virgil Abloh

Virgil Abloh, who tragically died in 2021 from cardiac angiosarcoma, was one of the most influential designers of the 2010s. In 2013, he founded Off-White, a Milan-based fashion house that championed clothing that married streetwear with haute couture. Abloh joined Louis Vuitton as the Men’s Artistic Director in 2018, fusing youth culture and high art during his tenure. That same year, Time magazine named him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Aurora James

A Toronto native, James founded her accessories label Brother Vellies in 2013, celebrating traditional African design practices. Two years later, she was awarded the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize and later became the Vice Chair of the CFDA. As noted, James launched the Fifteen Percent Pledge Foundation — a non-profit advocacy that calls on retailers to dedicate 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses — as a response to the murder of George Floyd. The designer has become a regular on the red carpets as of late, attending everything from galas to movie premieres.

Olivier Rousteing

Rousteing was named creative director of Balmain at just 25, becoming the youngest-ever head of a French maison. He was also the first Black creative director at a European fashion house since Hylan Booker, who was head designer for House of Worth in 1968. While at the helm, Rousteing transformed the luxury label, with heavily embellished dresses and strong shoulders becoming its hallmark look. He shocked fashion insiders when he announced that he was stepping down in November.

Rachel Scott

Scott debuted Diotima, a brand acclaimed for its Caribbean-inspired pieces and handmade crochet techniques, in 2021. Three years later, she became the first Black designer to be named designer of the year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. It’s already been a whirlwind year for Scott, who showed her first collection for Proenza Schouler after being appointed its new creative director. Loved by fashion insiders, the line leaned into sculpted tailoring, tactile fabrics, and artful draping.