Sims, Naomi, 1948-2009 (1948-2009)

Dates

• Existence: 1948-2009

Biography

Naomi Sims was an American model and businesswoman who became the first Black model to appear on a mainstream magazine, Ladies' Home Journal, in 1968. She became one of the first Black women to reach supermodel status, a position that held severe barriers of entry to Black women. Sims earned a scholarship in 1966 to study merchandising and textile design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she was encouraged by a counselor to pursue a career in modeling. After many rejections due to her skin color, Sims signed with Wilhelmina Cooper, who at the time was just forming her own modeling agency. Following this, she began booking jobs including cover appearance on Life and Cosmopolitan magazine, and runway modeling for various top designers. She was named Model of the Year in 1969 and 1970 and was inducted into the Modeling Hall of Fame, International Mannequins in 1977.

In 1972, Sims turned down the leading role to the film Cleopatra Jones, as she felt the representation of Black people in it was racist. She retired from modeling in 1973 and launched her own wig collection, Naomi Sims Collection, to replicate the look of straightened Black hair. She also created her own signature fragrance in 1981, and launched Naomi Sims Beauty Products Ltd. in 1985. She has also since written several books on health and beauty for Black women, and a book on modeling.

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