"Supreme Models" celebrates the Black trailblazers who transformed the fashion and beauty industries

The Real Perspectives

Published on February 9, 2025

Netflix

Supreme Models is the fantastic 6 part docu-series that premiered exclusively on Netflix on February 6, just in time for Black History Month. The series celebrates the Black trailblazers who transformed the fashion and beauty industries from the runway to magazines. Inspired by the book "Supreme Models: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Fashion" by author and executive producer Marcellas Reynolds, the series highlights the impact of Black Models who broke down the near impossible barriers and revolutionized fashion.

The series has been a passion project for Reynolds, who has gone on record during the series' initial press release that the testament of the Black Supermodel has been a journey showcasing beauty through strength and adversity where fashion has evolved from the 1940s to the 1960s movement of "Black is Beautiful".

With homage paid to original trailblazers like Iman, Beverly Johnson, and Donyale Luna, to nineties supermodels Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell, the series recognizes the new generation of talents such as Zendaya, Adwoa Aboah, Jourdan Dunn, and Joan Smalls with revealing interviews, personal testimonials and behind the scenes footage of the glamour behind the lights and camera.

Netflix

The episodic features are as follows:

Episode 1 - "How Black Models Broke Through the Glass Ceiling"

The history of Black supermodels strutting into the fashion world begins with Donyale Luna. Pat Cleveland describes her own start in the industry.

 Episode 2 - "The Story of Iman"  

At 1973's Battle of Versailles fashion show, American designers give their all on the French runway, paving the way for Black models in European fashion.

Episode 3 - "Someone's Going to Be a Model... Why Not You?"

Karen Alexander and other Black models share stories of being mistreated for their hair. The Black Girls Coalition starts advocating for representation.

Episode 4 - "From Super Model to Super Mogul"

Black models take advantage of the popularity of supermodels as personalities, expanding their careers beyond the runway to cosmetics and book deals.

Episode 5 - "Era of One Black Model Per Runway"

Designers, agents and more avoid Black models in campaigns and on the runway, nearly erasing their careers entirely in an era called the "White Out."

Episode 6 - "A Black Fashion Revolution"

As Black models fill the world of fashion, they use their platforms to fight social injustice and bring awareness to the Black Lives Matter movement.

---

Do not miss this fantastic series celebrating the monumental impact of the Black Supermodel and their contributions to not just the fashion industry but to Black culture!

---