All About Donyale Luna, the First Black Supermodel to Grace the Cover of ‘Vogue’

Remembering Donyale Luna.

Born Peggy Ann Freeman, the late American supermodel was a trailblazer in the fashion industry – but despite her monumental career achievements as a woman of color in the 1960s, much of her pioneering work has been forgotten.

Luna has often been described as an ethereal, towering figure who challenged existing ideals of beauty, broke down barriers and influenced culture during her 33 years on Earth. The wide-eyed hopeful left home just months after the Civil Rights Act was passed to pursue her modeling dream.

The Detroit native was scouted by fashion photographer David McCabe in 1963, who convinced her to move to Manhattan. No clear plan — especially at a time when there were no modeling opportunities for non-white faces, except for dedicated African-American publications like Ebony – Luna followed the stranger at the time, believing in herself and her potential.

Upon her arrival, Luna teamed up with McCabe, who then took her to meet top fashion editors around New York. A risk worth taking, the rising model’s career immediately took off — and so did her celebrity status, suddenly joining the inner circle of megastars of the day like Bob Dylan.

Zendaya channels legendary black supermodel Donyale Luna in a gorgeous Essence cover shoot

But despite the success of the supermodel in America, Luna could not escape discrimination. Therefore, she rushed to Europe where she was less present. “I wouldn’t have to worry about political situations when I woke up in the morning,” the model once said in an interview.

In 1966, Luna’s real big break came when she became the first black supermodel on the cover British Vogue — a historic reservation that paved the way for color models that followed and continue to influence today’s generations.

Years later, Luna’s story was told through HBO Donyale Luna: Supermodelwhich was recently shown during New York Fashion Week.

The upcoming documentary — premiering September 13 — tells the forgotten story of Luna’s incredible life and career, told through first-person accounts by her family and former fashion colleagues.

“As a black storyteller, being able to tell the stories of other black women is an incredible gift,” director Nailah Jefferson said during a Q&A panel for the film at Hudson Yards on September 7. “As a black woman, to highlight and lift up and love Donyale Luna like she couldn’t be while she was here with us… I’m so grateful.”

Read on to find out all about Luna, from her escape to the legacy she left behind.

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She grew up in Detroit, Michigan

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Luna (nee Peggy Ann Freeman) was a native of Michigan, born to Nathaniel A. and Peggy Freeman in Detroit. She was one of three siblings, the middle child of all daughters.

Growing up, she took school seriously. She was bright and involved in extracurriculars she was passionate about, including theater. In 1963, she was scouted – wearing only her Catholic school uniform – on her way to a rehearsal.

There, fashion photographer David McCabe broached the idea of ​​modeling, eventually convincing her to follow him to Manhattan where he would help her launch her career. In an interview with S. in 1966 TimeLuna opened up about how she was received in her hometown compared to Europe.

“In Detroit, I wasn’t considered pretty or anything,” the model said. “But I’m different here.”

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She was the first black supermodel on the cover Vogue

Photo by Luigi Cazzaniga/HBO

Due to the discrimination she experienced in the 60s combined with the myths surrounding her personal life, most of Luna’s achievements as a boundary-breaking woman of color have been forgotten since her death in 1979.

Over the years, black supermodels like Pat Cleveland and Beverly Johnson have been recognized for their big strides in fashion. The The New York Timesfor example, in May 2007 he cited the latter as “the first African-American woman to grace the cover of Vogue.”

While this fact applies to VogueIn the US edition published in August 1974, Luna was the first supermodel to grace the cover VogueBritish edition in 1966. She was also the first black model in the Harper’s Bazaarpublished in September 1937.

She hung out with the Rolling Stones

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As Luna’s popularity as a model grew, so did her social circle. Namely, in London she got involved in the “youth-quake”, a movement controlled by younger generations that strongly stirred up music, fashion and pop culture in the mid-1960s.

In 1968, she got a gig as an assistant to a fire eater Rolling Stones rock and roll circus. While she was rumored to be romantically linked to Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, Mia Farrow and Michael Caine were among her many other famous friends.

She was married to Luigi Cazzaniga

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Luna was married to Luigi Cazzaniga, a professional Italian photographer whom she married in 1976. The two met in Italy after the supermodel’s many trips from New York and London, as shown in the HBO documentary by director Nailah Jefferson.

Despite the communication barrier, the couple found love not only romantically, but also creatively – specifically in art, as well as avant-garde theater and film.

She had one daughter

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Luna and Cazzaniga had one child, daughter Dream Cazzaniga, together in 1977. They named her after Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, which was delivered around the time of the model’s pivotal move to New York.

In May 1979, Luna died at the age of 33, just a few months after giving birth to her first daughter. Although it was difficult for Dream to grow up without a mother, she helped keep Luna’s legacy alive.

Dream wrote the story for British Vogue in April 2019, paying tribute to her mother in the publication that changed her life. She was also recently introduced as a co-producer of HBO Donyale Luna: Supermodel documentary.

She inspired modern fashion icons like Zendaya

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While Luna’s work has positively influenced numerous models, designers and photographers, Zendaya and her stylist Law Roach are among the many celebrities who have paid tribute to her in recent years.

While speaking with PEOPLE during New York Fashion Week 2023, the celebrity stylist said he “definitely sees similarities” between his longtime client Zendaya and Luna. “I think the ancestors are always with us,” he said at the Daily Front Row Fashion Media Awards in September.

“Well yes, just beauty and calm – I think that’s actually what they have in common.” Roach went on to explain the similarity between the two women. “Zendaya is always very calm and gentle, and I think Donyale embodied those same characteristics.”

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Source: HIS Education