"Inspiring Beauty" celebrates Ebony Fashion Fair

A new exhibition at the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) in Raleight, NC, explores the 50-year history of the Ebony Fashion Fair, from 1958 to 2009. Called "Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair", the exhibition covers 50 years of beauty, style, and empowerment and showcases 40 stunning outfits by Christian Dior, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen and other directional designers. The exhibition will start tomorrow, 28th October 2017, and run through 21st January, 2018.

The Ebony Fashion Fair grew out of the pages of Ebony magazine, which was first published in 1945, and redefined the concepts of beauty, style, and empowerment for African Americans. "The fashion event provided transformative images of African Americans as beautiful and successful. Far more than a display of fabulous clothes, the show offered black women a vision of what they could wear and, ultimately, who they could be," remembers Ebony.

The exhibition, which was developed by the Chicago History Museum in cooperation with Johnson Publishing Company, features 40 stunning ensembles such as gowns, coats and suits by designers such as Stephen Burrows, Pierre Cardin, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Patrick Kelly, Christian Lacroix, Yves Saint Laurent, Bob Mackie, Alexander McQueen, b. Michael, Missoni, Jean Patou, and Vivienne Westwood.

The exhibition is accompanied by events such as a designer studio tour on opening day where visitors gain behind-the-scenes access to designers-in-residence Katherine Diuguid and Precious Lovell as they create haute couture in the gallery. They will learn about the design process and garment construction. Other events include the annual educator expo and Family Fun Saturdays when the whole family can try their hand at creating their own patterned and printed fabrics.

Photos: Givenchy by Alexander McQueen, Tilmann Grawe cocktail dress; via NCMA website