Naomi Sims, First Black Supermodel, Dies At 61

First African-American supermodel Naomi Sims has died of cancer yesterday, August 03, 2009. She was 61.


Once bullied by her classmates because of her height, Naomi Sims has risen to become one of the most successful black models while still in her teens.

She has been the first African-American model to appear on the covers of Ladies Home Journal in 1967, The New York Times Magazine's Fashion of the Times in 1967, and Life Magazine in 1969. (Her magazine appearances - the 1967 New York Times fashion magazine cover and the 1969 cover of LIFE Magazine - are now on display in the Metropolitan Museum's "The Model As Muse" exhibit.)

According to reports, Naomi Sims was turned down by modeling agencies in the late 1960s. Undeterred by rejection, the black model went to photographers and finally persuaded Gosta Peterson to capture her for the cover of The New York Times Magazine's Fashion of the Times supplement in 1967. (It was this image which would later appear in the MET's "Model as Muse" exhibit.) She has also sent out the image to advertising agencies and was earning $1,000 within a year. The image has her land a national AT&T TV commercial campaign wearing Bill Blass.

Her phenomenal appearances on top magazine covers has paved the way for her worldwide recognition in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She has also modeled for prestigious fashion designers Halston, Fernando Sánchez, Teal Traina, and Giorgio di Sant' Angelo.

Because of popularity, Naomi Sims was later offered a lead role in the Hollywood film Cleopatra Jones but she chose to turn down the role because of racist portrayal of blacks in the movie.

When she retired from modeling in 1973, she started her own beauty business and launched a successful wig collection. Her design posted an annual sales of $5 million by 1978.

Naomi Sims also became a successful author in her later years. She wrote five books on modeling, beauty and health including "All About Health and Beauty for the Black Women," "How to Be a Top Model," and "All About Success for the Black Women." She also has an advice column for teenage girls in Right On! Magazine.

Naomi Sims always acknowledged that her success has come from using her race as an advantage. Her early works and advocacy for the black race has helped established the identity of today's black supermodels like Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Jourdan Dunn and other upcoming top models of African descent.

"It's 'in' to use me, and maybe some people do it when they don't really like me. But even if they are prejudiced, they have to be tactful if they want a good picture," Naomi Sims once said after establishing her multi-million beauty empire.

Supermodel Jourdan Dunn, Pregnant At 19

The latest addition to the list of supermodels with pregnancy reports these days is the 19-year old Jourdan Dunn.

The teen supermodel is the youngest in the group of pregnant models though: Heidi Klum is 36, Adriana Lima is 28, and Karolina Kurkova is 25.


Jourdan Dunn has become a catwalk sensation after being discovered by British clothing store Primark. Because of her early success on the runway which is not typical for Black models, she has been dubbed as the next Naomi Campbell. She has also received the Model of the Year title from British Fashion Awards last year.

Successful as she is, she's still a teenager vulnerable to one of hottest issues confronting young people today - teenage pregnancy.

The 19-year old supermodel has just confirmed to Vogue UK that that she is five and half months pregnant! Jourdan Dunn will be due in December and will have to skip the runways this Fall to have her first child with her boyfriend.

But while other successful young women look at their early pregnancies as a downfall, the young supermodel anticipates the future with hope:

"I'm really looking forward to the future and having my baby. I'm lucky - I'm feeling really well. I'm healthy and happy!"

Jourdan Dunn is not the only successful model who has embraced motherhood at a very young age. Chanel spokesmodel Heidi Mount has given birth to her first child at 20, Liya Kebede has popped her first child at 21, and Natalia Vodianova has risen to become one of the most sought-after models after giving birth to her first child at 19.

Underwear Models Vs Runway Models

Runway models are typically identified to be slim and flat-chested so as not to distract the clothes they wear with their humps. Underwear models, on the other hand, need to have more fats to flaunt them.


Recently, an underwear model made news when she openly criticized Model of the Year Jourdan Dunn for being medically underweight.

Let's hear it for underwear model Katie Green:

"I think it is disgusting that Jourdan won (the award). What kind of message does this send out to young girls, aspiring models and even us normal women?" "At a size 12 and 5ft 10in I am at the bottom of a healthy body mass index, so if I had lost any weight when asked I would have become medically underweight. I want to march Jourdan down to her local restaurant and shovel some food down her throat."

"I think it's thoughtless that the British Fashion Council would crown a stick-thin rake as their Model of the Year. It's almost like they are asking for young girls to have eating disorders."

"Ultimo would never consider hiring a girl of her size. It's a shame other companies cannot follow suit. I'd prefer to not be named model of the year if it means being this unhealthily thin."

You may have a point there, dear Katie. But why bash a fellow model just because you think she doesn't have a body figure similar to yours? If you are happy and confident with you're body, then there's no point lambasting other women especially those who are naturally slim. After all, sexiness is not just about humps and curves, or whether you're a runway or an underwear model, it's also about personal appeal.

Teenager Jourdan Dunn: Model of the Year

British teenage model Jourdan Dunn was crowned Model of Year at the British Fashion awards in London on Tuesday night.



At 18, the black beauty Jourdan Dunn was already a hot name in the fashion industry. She was seen as the new Naomi Campbell, considering her phenomenal rise to the modeling world despite the scarcity of black models in the industry.

Just like Naomi Campbell, the teenage model is also an outspoken critic of racism in the modeling industry:

"London is not a white city. So why should our catwalks be so white? I go to castings and see several black and Asian girls, then I get to the show and there's just me."

Indeed, the 179 cm tall Jourdan Dunn can be considered phenomenal. One year ago, she was just an ordinary teenager wandering around the high street shop Primark. Who would have thought that she would face the crowd whose spectators include the famous Kate Moss, Claudia Schiffer, Jade Jagger, Emilia Fox, and Erin O'Connor to receive the Model of the Year Award?

Now, isn't that amazing?