On October 22, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers held an auction of select pieces of the historic couture and clothing collection from the EBONY Fashion Fair show. This collection was assembled over the course of fifty years by Eunice W. Johnson. Each item from the EBONY Fashion Fair Show, the world’s largest traveling fashion show, which raised more than $55 million for black charitable causes, was hand selected by Mrs. Johnson. Mrs. Johnson traveled to the world’s fashion capitals to find the most avant-garde designs to bring high fashion to black American women throughout the country. The 707 lot auction includes items from Chanel, Dior, Halston, Bill Blass, Givenchy, Valentino, Vivienne Westwood and countless others. A capsule collection from Eunice Johnson’s personal archive was also be offered for sale. A tag sale was held online at https://www.lesliehindman.com, from September 30- October 14, and at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago which gave buyers the opportunity to own a piece of the historic collection in keeping with Mrs. Johnson’s vision that high style belonged in the everyday lives of all women.
Ebony Fashion Fair attendees were introduced to creations by world-renowned American, Italian, French, British and Japanese designers. Through the show Mrs. Johnson showcased Black designers including Stephen Burrows, James Daugherty, and B. Michael. It also launched the careers of many of America’s top Black models and celebrities, among them Pat Cleveland, Dianne Carroll, and Richard Roundtree. “Using the show my mother was changing the way in which people from vastly diverse walks of life experienced fashion” said Linda Johnson Rice, Chairman of Johnson Publishing Company, LLC, which is the publisher of EBONY and JET magazines, and owner of Fashion Fair Cosmetics, a global prestige cosmetics brand for women of color. “At the same time she was inspiring Black women to experiment with fashion, embrace their beauty, and challenge the conventions of what was considered chic. I am so pleased to make available to the public items from this collection so that those who were inspired by the show and who love fashion can own a piece of fashion history.”
For more information, please contact:
Abigail Rutherford, 312-280-1212, [email protected]
Alex Rosenfield, 212-397-4562, [email protected]
