Beverly Johnson, an African American model, poses on an angle with her hands in her pockets. She wears an ensemble designed by Louis Dell'Olio and Donna Karan for Anne Klein.
Fashion is a fickle thing. While various shows are introduced as being “major,” and almost every model is dubbed “the industry’s next big thing,” fashion moments that are truly game-changing tend to be few and far between. Breakthroughs that are big enough to challenge the norms and standards of the fashion industry come rarely. However, one of these genuinely major moments was observed in 1974, when the first African American model appeared on the cover of Vogue, a fashion magazine considered to be at the forefront of the industry. Beverly Johnson, raised in Buffalo, New York, became the first person of color to appear on the magazine’s cover, marking a momentous event and catapulting her to fame. The cover portrait by Francesco Scavullo celebrated Johnson’s color, presenting an elegant beauty who was real, relatable, and in resonance with the era.
Beverly Johnson in a reprint from Vogue’s October 1977 issue. Johnson wears a Dior Couture tuxedo and is wrapped in a fur coat.
Johnson’s Vogue cover boosted her status from a normal model to a superstar. While it seemed like a dream come true, things didn’t come as easy as you might think. Johnson initially applied as a model with Eileen Ford, a legendary agent in the industry, but was rejected. She was later accepted by Ford Models. Johnson’s managers advised her that it was nearly impossible to get on the cover of a major magazine, suggesting she would have even more trouble because of her race. Instead of giving up, Johnson got herself new managers and moved on to Wilhelmina Cooper’s agency to make her very own niche. Other cover opportunities came for the model, but for Johnson, there was only one that really mattered. In an interview with CNN, she shared that it is every model’s dream to appear on the cover of Vogue. It’s a sign that you’ve truly made it when you clinch the magazine’s cover. When she found out that she was the first person of color to grace a Vogue cover, Johnson knew that it was a really big deal.
Beverly Johnson in Bahia, posing in Yves Saint Laurent’s design.
After Johnson’s rise to stardom, the model made sure her new celebrity status was put to good use, becoming a champion for civil rights and ensuring that doors of opportunity also open up for other models. Following her successful career in the fashion industry, Johnson has since become an actress, author, and entrepreneur. Her historic feat in becoming the first person of color on Vogue was just the beginning as Johnson would go on to grace the cover three more times.