The making of the fashion cover?

WHEN LINDA JOHNSON RICE told me she wanted us to create a special fashion issue for September, I was thrilled. It was already going to be a time of great celebration because the traveling Ebony Fashion Fair show would be stepping into its 50th year. The question for me was, "What should EBONY present about fashion at this historic moment in our company's history?"

We dreamed first about bringing a group of our own supermodels together to talk about how they have leveraged their celebrity into viable business and philanthropic propositions. Who was on that list? Amazingly, nearly everyone we called wanted to be a part of what would become an historic photo shoot, The legendary style icon Iman was in Canada shooting a new TV series. Thanks to a long history of amazing experiences with her, I was able to get her interested in this great project. Next, Kimora Lee Simmons, whom I had seen a few weeks prior when we worked together on a Jet cover and talked about just such a grand idea, said, "Absolutely." Next. the one and only Tyra Banks agreed from the set of her daily talk show, some 3.000 miles away. Sudanese beauty Alek Wek was already talking to us about a book project she's launching when we asked her to be a part of this cover.

She graciously accepted.

In addition to these four divas, we also reached out to the legendary Naomi Campbell and Liya Kebede, the first Black model to garner a beauty contract with Estee Lauder. They too attempted to make it to our shoot, but thousands of miles of ocean separated us from Naomi, while date after date of back to back work kept us from Liya.

In the end, we are so proud. The magic happened on June 18th when, one by one, four international beauties came to the New York studio to be photographed by a star himself, Mr. Marc Baptiste, A palpable electricity filled the air as we realized we were indeed making history, celebrating the beauty, brains and staying power of the women who grace our cover--as well as the legacy that EBONY magazine has had of heralding all that is Black and beautiful.

That day inspired many more, as we worked with a team of writers, photographers and some of the world's best creative talent to present a harvest of stories and images that speak to the roles and images that Black folks have claimed in fashion for generations. Plus, we sprinkle in some great clothing and accessories to boot. May you enjoy!

COPYRIGHT 2007 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning