Friday, January 23, 2009

Another Phenomenal Black Woman: Ann Lowe


With all the controversy over Michelle Obama's dress chosen for the Inaugural Balls, I decided to re-introduce Ann Lowe. Ann Lowe was an African-American Mid-20 thCentury fashionista who designed Jackie Kennedy's dress shown above. Mrs. Kennedy wore this dress on Sept.12, 1953 when she married former President John F. Kennedy.

Ann Lowe received very little recognition for her success. Ann Lowe was a great-grandaughter of a slave and plantation owner. She designed dresses for elite families. It seems Ann Lowe was another Southern woman with city dreams. She enrolled in fashion school during 1917.

Can you imagine a Black woman enrolling in fashion school during 1917? Absolutely amazing and progressive! Perhaps most of her peers were domestic workers or even sharecroppers during that time in Alabama. She is definitely another phenomenal Black woman!

I thought it would be interesting to share this story because a lot of Black women are in conversation over First Lady Michelle Obama's choice not to pick a dress designed by a Black designer. Personally, I thought Mrs. Obama look beautiful regardless.

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