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Bethann Hardison Biography

Fashion activist and model Bethann Hardison was born in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from George W. Wingate High School, Hardison attended the New York University Art School and the Fashion Institute of Technology. During the 1960s, Hardison worked in the garment district of New York City as saleswoman. In 1967, she was discovered by African American designer Willi Smith and began working for Smith as a fitting model, soon crossing over to the runway and print industries. Along with Beverly Johnson, Iman, and Pat Cleveland; Hardison broke barriers in the 1970s appearing in Allure, Harper’s Bazarre, and Vogue. In 1973, she was featured in the international Versailles fashion face off, a historical moment in which France’s best designers competed against the top American designers of the time. Hardison then joined Click, a startup modeling agency, in 1980, as a booking agent where she produced fashion shows, handled public relations for design houses, and became a contributing editor at several magazines. Concerned with the politics of the fashion industry, Hardison changed her focus from modeling to activism in 1981.

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Bethann Hardison Quotes

I was the first person that had been so kind to Iman Abdulmajid. As time went on, and she became successful, signed with an agency, when she had to make big decisions, she wouldn't always talk to an agent, she'd ask me. I'd give her good advice and she'd be on her way. When I had ideas to do things like the Black Girls Coalition, I would always talk to her, she always loved my ideas. She trusts me.

Advice, Agency, Girl, Signed, Successful, Talk

Only when you know who you are will you be able to find the courage to do what drives you-with integrity and grace.

Courage, Drives, Grace, Inspiration, Integrity

I'd only started noticing that something had gone wrong when I got a call from Naomi [Campbell], she called me and said, "You gotta do something about it, it's really bad, they're not using any models of color. "

Call, Color, Gone, Noticing, Said

We don't have a watchdog in fashion, we don't have HR to go to, so it is important to get that word out to someone whether it's an agent or someone like me and we should all come together and figure out what we can do.

Agent, Come, Fashion, Important, Together

That's why Black Lives Matter thinks I'm so great. The fact of the matter is that everything is consciousness. This conversation is important.

Black, Fact, Important, Thinking, Thinks

That's a very privileged attitude and I think the ignorance is so strong there. When people say, "Oh please, I don't want to hear that conversation," it's because it makes them uncomfortable. " But that's because they think it's all okay. If it was racist, I would move onto someone whose mind I could change, but it's mostly ignorance. So when someone says, "Oh, it doesn't matter," I not only make designers responsible but casting directors and modeling agencies for not pushing those other girls on to the designers.

Attitude, Directors, Girl, Matter, Strong

People weren't meaning to be racist, but they didn't know. Action signals change, not intent. So when someone feels like they're not getting a fair shake, you gotta speak on it.

Action, Know, People, Racist

Activism has to remain active. That's the trademark slogan and that's the mantra, because if your foot doesn't stay on the pedal, the car will stop.

Car, Feet, Foot, Slogan, Trademark, Trademarks

That decision to use basically all white models reveals a trait that is unbecoming to modern society. It can no longer be accepted.

Basically, Decision, Reveals, Trait, Use, White

A woman who has style doesn't necessarily need designers - designer wear. A woman who has style can put on any frock or dress or pant or whatever and still bring something to it.

Bring, Dress, Dresses, Needs, Style

A friend of mine, Kim Hastreiter, who owns Paper Magazine, she told me, "When you left, it really changed things and you need to do something. " So with the encouragement of others, I stayed around and watched, and I saw that all the girls before, such an enormous group of girls of color, all shades, it began to disappear.

Color, Disappear, Encouragement, Girl, Saw, Stayed