Day three: Naomi Sims (1948-2009) was an American model, business woman, and author. She is consider
Day three: Naomi Sims (1948-2009) was an American model, business woman, and author. She is considered to be The first black supermodel as well as being the first African American model to grace the cover of Ladies Home Journal. Born in Oxford, Mississippi, Sims would land in New York after winning Scholarships to attend FIT as well as attending evening courses at NYU. Early attempts at modeling led to many rejections from agencies who told her her skin was too dark. Side stepping the agencies, Naomi would go straight to fashion photographers where she would get her first break in meeting New York Times photographer Gösta Peterson, where she would be featured in the Times 1967 fashion spread. Still finding difficulty she would approach Willhemina Cooper who was in the process of starting her own agency. She struck a deal with her where Sims would send her recent spread to advertising agencies with Cooper’s name and number and would receive a comission. It wasn’t long before Sims would be in demand grossing up to $1000 a week doing advertisements for companies like AT&T, making the 1968 cover of Ladies’ Home Journal, 1969 cover of LIFE, and modeling for top designers such as Bill Blass. She would soon branch out and Author several books focusing on health and beauty for African American women as well as launching a wig Line also for African American women. Sadly Naomi passed away in 2009 after a lengthy battle with Breaston Cancer. #NaomiSims #famousblackgirls -- source link
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