Invisible Beauty profiles the fabulous life of legendary black activist, model and model agent, Bethann Hardison. Premiering at 2023’s Sundance Film Festival this excellent documentary is a masterclass in how to be an activist and effect change. Written and directed by Hardison and Frederic Tcheng, and produced by Lisa Cortes, Invisible Beauty contains generous contributions from a staggering Who’s Who of the Fashion Industry, including Naomi Campbell, Iman, Ralph Lauren, Bruce Weber, Pat Cleveland, Tyson Beckford, Zendaya, Liya Kebede, Robin Givhan and many more.
Born into a still fairly segregated USA in 1943, Hardison started breaking down doors from an early age. One of the first black cheerleaders, she refused to let her skin colour hold her back in any way. Her childhood was spent between her relaxed mother and very strict Muslim father who mentored Malcolm X and instilled a sense of justice and ambition into her at home in Bedford Stuyvesant, New York.
At 18 she was working in New York’s garment district where she was spotted by designer Willi Smith who gave her work as a showroom model. He introduced her to Bruce Weber, who loved her unique androgenous looks, and paved the way for her career as a runway model. Life as a black model in the early 1970s wasn’t easy but Hardison developed an inner strength and confidence to deal with any racism. In 1973 the Battle of Versailles competition between US and French designers (held to challenge the French stranglehold on the Fashion Industry), cemented her position as a leading model when she walked the show of Stephen Burrows with a group of other fabulous black models and they received a standing ovation.
Motherhood and a career as a model with constant travel wasn’t easy back then, so in the 1980s Hardison opened her own model agency. It was an instant hit with a very cool roster of models of all races including Nick Kamen, Veronica Webb and star of the show, Tyson Beckford. Naomi Campbell and Iman became close friends, as were Karl Lagerfeld and Andre Leon Talley. Hardiman realised that white models were being cast far more often than black models and that their casting fees were five times the rate of black models. This led to her forming the Black Girls Coalition with Iman in 1988, a model activist collective – an advocacy and campaign group for equality for black models in the fashion industry. They campaigned relentlessly but change was slow. The success of Tyson Beckford as the main model for Ralph Lauren’s preppy menswear in the 1990’s broke down many doors for black models, as did Naomi Campbell’s success. However, this didn’t last, and the late 1990’s saw a runway and editorial trend for pale skinny white models from eastern Europe. This ‘trend’ seemed never-ending and many runway shows and fashion magazines in this period featured almost no models of colour. By 2007 Hardison had had enough, and along with Iman, Naomi, Tyson, Andre Leon Talley and many more, held a press conference in New York decrying the invisibility of models of colour. Designers, model agents, casting directors and stylists all had excuse after excuse. Some gains were however made. Vogue Italia subsequently released an issue featuring only black models which sold out three print runs. This wasn’t enough for Hardison. She decided to name and shame the designers who showed collections with one or zero models on the runway. She did this in 2013 and many designers including Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Martin Margiela and Victoria Beckham were named and shamed. This individual shaming had an immediate effect, especially when combined with vocal support by high profile associates of Hardison including Iman and Naomi Campbell. Eyes were on the industry and Hardison was recognised and awarded for her efforts by the CFDA in 2014. The Black Lives Matter campaign post the death of George Floyd has also subsequently helped her cause. These days, Hardison, now 80 years old, continues her work, advising Gucci and other designers on diversity, and making sure hard-won gains on diversity don’t disappear.
Hardison’s documentary is inspiring. It’s a testament to her reputation that so many high-profile people were willing to contribute to the film. Even non-fashion people such as Whoopie Goldberg and Fran Leibowitz pop up with interesting anecdotes. These interviews are combined with current footage of Hardison at her chic homes, and excellent vintage footage of the USA from the 1950s onwards, the history of black activism in the USA and the development of the US fashion industry. Hardison laid the foundations for inclusivity and changed the definition of beauty within the Fashion Industry. A blueprint for activism.
PS Ris Fatah reviewed the film at Provincetown Film Festival: for future screenings
check out https://www.facebook.com/invisiblebeautyfilm
Queerguru’s Contributing Editor Ris Fatah is a successful fashion/luxury business consultant (when he can be bothered) who divides and wastes his time between London and Ibiza. He is a lover of all things queer, feminist, and human rights in general. @ris.fatah
