BHS Day 11: Stephen Burrows

Hi! Finally we get to focus on a little bit of fashion for today's Spotlight. Now I briefly mentioned this last week but I had a lot of trouble finding entrants for the fashion section of this category, mainly because fashion was one of those murky categories where oftentimes, designers of color just didn't get their due back in the day. Of course, many high-fashion boutiques weren't about to put a Black design in their windows at this time, so it would be hard for designers to break through and find steady clientele. A designer of color sometimes sold their creations to more established White boutiques or designers and today, the credit for it belongs to the latter, so we never get to know the true origin. Sometimes the inventions were simply stolen and because many Black designers were not known by name, again, there's no way to find the true origin of the design. This is also true in the inventor world, where many Black inventors sold their ideas and concepts to more established White inventors or relevant companies and didn't get their due. With that being the case, many Black designers back in the day faded into obscurity, unable to ever get their moment in the sun. There are a few, however, who slipped through those cracks and eventually made names for themselves. There aren't a ton before a certain time in the 20th century, but we're going to eventually feature all of the ones I find. Let's learn about today's entrant! 

Name: Stephen Burrows, 1943--

Profession: Fashion designer

Why is the Spotlight on him today? For breaking barriers for African-American designers trying to make a name in mainstream fashion and his 50+ year career in the fashion industry

Notables and accomplishments:
--Was one of the first African-American designers to hit mainstream with his designs and clientele
--Was one of the designers who showcased his designs in the Battle of Versailles fashion show in the early '70s
--Was awarded Pratt Institute's Pratt Fashion Award for Lifetime Achievement
--Was a recipient of the Andre Leon Talley Achievement Award
--Was the subject of a tribute exhibit called Stephen Burrows: When Fashion Danced sponsored by Target to honor his designs over two decades 
--Helped design signature Barbie dolls
--Had a collection of designs in multiple big name stores across the country
--Was awarded The Board of Directors Special Tribute award by the Council for Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) 
--Was a focal part of the "Fun City" disco fashion aesthetic in 1970s New York
--Graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology
--Had his own boutique in New York's Henri Bendel store
--Worked with Andy Warhol
--Dressed a number of celebrities for magazine covers, awards shows and once dressed former First Lady Michelle Obama
--Was the honoree of three retrospective series based either entirely or partially on his work
--A two-time winner of the Coty American Fashion Critics Award and received another special Coty award for his lingerie collection

Research resources and further reading links: Wikipedia | Huffington Post | Personal Website | Huffington Post | BlackPast 

Quote of the Day:
"Follow your dreams!" 
--Stephen Burrows