Over the years, the fashion industry has witnessed many changes, thanks to icons who have helped make it more inclusive, and Bethann Hardison is one of them. As one of the first high-profile black models to walk the ramp for reputed designers, Hardison's work inspired countless girls of color around the world who dreamed of walking the ramp.
Therefore, it is not surprising that fashion enthusiasts are looking forward to knowing more about her in the upcoming documentary, Invisible Beauty, which explores Bethann Hardison's life as well as her career trajectory.
The world premiere for the same took place at the Sundance Film Festival 2023. It was released in select theatres in New York and Los Angeles this month. The wider nation rollout will only start from September 29, 2023.
5 cool facts about Bethann Hardison that will raise your anticipation for Invisible Beauty
1) Bethann's big break came when she was discovered by Willi Smith
Willi Smith was one of the biggest African-American designers back in the day. He launched his company, WilliWear Limited, in 1976, and in just a span of ten years, he was able to make more than $25 million in sales. Unfortunately, he passed away from an illness in 1987.
Smith came across Bethann Hardison in 1967 when she was working as a sales rep. Soon after, she became his fitting model. Smith then introduced her to Bruce Weber, who would take pictures of Hardison every weekend. This helped her modeling career take off.
2) Bethann has walked the runway for some of the biggest names in the industry
When she burst onto the scene, Bethann Hardison looked quite different from her fair-skinned counterparts.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the same, Hardison stayed true to her steadfast nature and powered through. It wasn't long before she had wowed fashion enthusiasts and stalwarts with her vibrant energy and professionalism.
She engaged in print work and walked the runway for reputed designers and brands, including Oscar de la Renta, Anne Klein, Calvin Klein, Issey Miyake, Kenzo, Ungaro, Perry Ellis, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, and Claude Montana.
3) Bethann was part of the iconic "The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show"
Held in 1973, The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show is an iconic show that took place at the Palace of Versailles with an aim to raise money for its restoration. It was the brainchild of Eleanor Lambert, fashion publicist, and Gerald Van der Kemp, Versailles curator.
The show pitted famous French designers against equally well-known American designers. The attendees included the who's who of the time, including Princess Grace, Andy Warhol, and Liza Minnelli, among others. The biggest highlight was that the American designers used a total of 11 black models, a number that was unheard of before the iconic show.
Bethann Hardison was one of the models who walked the ramp. Her energetic performance helped the American designers wow the crowd.
4) She is Kadeem Hardison's mother
Bethann Hardison's son, Kadeem Hardison is a well-known actor. His father, Donald McFadden, is an antique and fine art collector.
Fans of the popular show, A Different World, know Kadeem as Dwayne Wayne. In fact, this is the role that helped put his name on the map. Over the years, he has appeared in multiple movies and TV shows, including K. C. Undercover, Between Brothers, Abby, Teenage Bounty Hunters, and more.
5) Bethann has championed for diversity in fashion for decades
Bethann Hardison has received multiple awards and recognition around the world for her work encouraging diversity in the fashion industry.
She started the Black Girls Coalition with Iman in 1988, which celebrated Black models and also spoke up about the under-representation of people of color in advertising and runways.
Bethann Hardison also founded The Diversity Coalition, along with Iman and Naomi Campbell, to work on improving racial diversity in the industry.
Without a doubt, Bethann Hardison is an icon who deserves to be celebrated, and the upcoming documentary, Invisible Beauty, hopes to do just that. If you are interested in fashion, and want to understand a little more about its history, then this is one movie that you wouldn't want to miss out on.