The Models of Versailles 1973 Tribute Luncheon

On Monday, January 24, the Met's Multicultural Audience Development Initiative and The Costume Institute honored eleven models of color who walked the runway for five American designers in 1973 as they faced off against five French designers at Versailles, forever altering the way fashion was presented on the global stage. The event, co-hosted by the surviving American designers Oscar de la Renta and Stephen Burrows, saluted models Billie Blair, Jennifer Brice, Alva Chinn, Pat Cleveland, Norma Jean Darden, Charlene Dash, Bethann Hardison, Barbara Jackson, China Machado, Ramona Saunders, and Amina Warsuma for their role in this landmark triumph of American style and diversity. Held in the Met's Temple of Dendur in the Sackler Wing, the event attracted more than two hundred guests, and included these remarks.

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[Dale Felder]

hi friends.welcome,to see my videos

[TIGGYY1]

How lucky for you! I am so waiting to see it as well!

[Walter Van der Wahl]

I saw "Versailles 73" today and I was blown away. I studied fashion design @ F.I.T. so I knew about this show, but I was unprepared for all of the drama & work that made this happen. Halston,Oscar, Bill Blass, Stephen Burrows & Anne Klein provided the exquisite creations,but it was the African American models that BLEW the roof off the royal theater at versailles. The french never saw anything like that.What should be noted is that in the documentary you can see they are all still beautiful.

[MsRmreed]

The documentary is finally shown in 2012 Sept 6th, 2012. The doc full of photos, news clips, fast cuts, amazing doc re the fashion show, etc..weird.

[TIGGYY1]

Also Robin Givan is writing a book about this event, I cannot wait

[TIGGYY1]

Grace Jones did not particpate in the Versailles event, but she was a peer among this group of models. Grace at this time was working on her recording career as well

[TIGGYY1]

Me too, but there must be some type of footage, because there is a documentary looking for distribution called "Versailles 73 ; American Runway Revolution, that will detail this event!! This is black fashion history, Pat Cleveland, Alva Chinn, Billie Blair, to name a few, opened the door for black models to command the catwalk.all this way befre the "fem-bot " models walking the runways today. I remember seeing Pat Clevland at Yves SAint Laurent in 1981-1982 runway working the Butterfly Chemise

[1blessedbrotha]

I'm dissappointed that there is no video of this "historic" competition!!!

[1blessedbrotha]

if i'm not mistaken, Grace Jones was also a part of this group of models.

[1blessedbrotha]

finally!!! Thank God, I thought that i would end up dying before these "American Treasures" were given their due for their part in the most monumental and ground-breaking moment of modern fashion.