Naomi Sims: 1948-2009

Naomi Sims, generally regarded as the first black superstar in female modeling, died Saturday. Only four months ago I marked what I thought was her sixtieth birthday (she was 61; I amended the mistake) with a slew of pictures from her illustrious career, with some very kind and generous words about her contributions to modeling and to business, so I don't need to repeat that here. Let the record show that I was singing her praises when she was very much alive.

She died of cancer, and she had apparently been dealing with the disease for a long time, a fact I was unaware of. Also, she had been living in Newark, New Jersey at the time. Though she was once the most recognizable black model in the fashion world, the Newark Star-Ledger only saw fit to give her an obituary comprised of only a few paragraphs mixed in with the other obituaries.

There are few black models - indeed, few models of any race - who have the grace and class Naomi Sims had. She will be be missed. :-(

Naomi Sims

One of the most beautiful women of all time celebrates her birthday today. Former fashion model and current beauty product entrepreneur Naomi Sims turns sixty-one. Normally, I'd reserve a post like this for my "Pictures of Beautiful Women" blog, but I think Ms. Sims's accomplishments deserve note here.

Not to mention examples of her work from her former career. :-)

Ms. Sims was the first major black female fashion model. She first appeared in the late sixties, during a time of black pride in the United States, and Ms. Sims's timing was perfect. She challenged racist standards of feminine beauty in particular and physical attractiveness in general and did so with class.

She became known for her special walk at fashion shows, which the Kansas City Star described as follows: "Her serpentine movements of the arms, torso, and legs were beautiful to watch and as subtly controlled as a dancer's."

To put it mildly!

After only five years, Ms. Sims became disenchanted with modeling and the trade's shallowness and superficiality. She didn't want to be famous for just being gorgeous; she wanted to be respected for putting her knowledge of beauty and fashion to constructive use. She began her own beauty company, making wigs, hair and skin care products, and cosmetics for black women, becoming a modern Madam C.J. Walker. She also became a successful author on the subject of health and beauty for those of her race and gender.

Naomi Sims didn't just make it easy for black women to think of themselves as beautiful. "I gave them elegance and dignity," she said.

And, as this recent picture of her shows, she's still giving them that and more. :-)

Back tomorrow with the usual miscellaneousness. :-)