The iconic Josephine Baker was the centerpiece and winner of Dior’s spring fashion show.
At age 19, the American-born jazz singer, dancer, actress, and civil rights activist moved to Paris not only to escape racial tensions in America, but also to pursue her dreams in the entertainment industry. I was.Her career grew in France after she appeared in a successful show black reviewShe became the first African-American woman to star in a major motion picture, among many other great achievements.
Known for performing in haunting sequined dresses, furs, feathers, jewels, and racy Folies Bergère costumes, she spent more than $250,000 on her couture fashion, according to The Guardian, fashion designer Christian Dior. was also one of the favorite customers of
Born in Missouri, Baker was from St. Louis and spent most of his life in France. While living in her Europe, she befriended Dior, who considered her a muse for his work. She loved high-end fashion and often bought items for her wardrobe from Madeleine Vionnet and Pierre Her Balmain.
The recent Dior Haute fashion show installed a large portrait of the jazz singer by American artist Michaelen Thomas in the Musée Rodin in Paris, alongside other influential black women such as Eartha Kitt and Nina Simone. , was used as the background for the runway. .
Maria Grazia Chiuri, the fashion designer behind the show, said that “she was at the heart of Dior’s history” and “quickly understood the power of fashion”.
In 2021, decades after her death, Baker became the first black woman to be inducted into the Pantheon of French Heroes, a civic building housing the remains of France’s greatest citizens, when she was given France’s highest honor. , broke another wall.