Sandi: I think because I was so fresh to the industry, I was unaware that we were making history. Paco Rabanne Space Age Fashion, mid 1960sĮscama: As a young African American model in Paris, how did it feel to be part of this creative environment in the 1960s Paris fashion scene? The plastic dresses were much lighter and fun, as well as being well tailored to the body. The metal dresses however stood out to me as being very cold and somewhat heavy. Sandi: All of the dresses were very well made. I tended to stay neutral to the fashion and really enjoyed the nature of the work itself.Įscama: Just out of curiosity, how were the Paco Rabanne dresses? Were they heavy? The critique of the clothes, or whether the collection was well received was not at the top of the list of priorities because you are frequenting so many fashion houses. In Europe at the time, it was easy for a well-liked model to have multiple shows or photo shoots within a day for major designers. As a model I was there to showcase the designs, walk the runway and then get to the next show. The couturiers made it apparent that time was money and there was no concern for even the name of the show. Sandi: I was 23 at the time and my mind frame very much was that this is a business. Do you have any memories of the show or of the shocked reaction from the fashion press? Sandi Collins: '12 Unwearable Dresses in Contemporary Materials' 12 Unwearable Dresses in Contemporary MaterialsĮscama: You were in Paco Rabanne’s ground breaking show in 1966 called “12 Unwearable Dresses in Contemporary Materials.” It was labeled 'space age fashion' and it got a lot of attention, not all of it favorable. But with some determination (and perhaps some divine intervention), I was able to land a contract with a German-based modeling agency who signed me on as a model for Courréges and also landed me several shows for Paco Rabanne. I arrived with $30, no connections and couldn’t speak the language.
Several months later I made the decision to also go to Paris to become a model. I read the feature and was intrigued it mentioned that Donyale worked in Paris, France. Donyale Luna - who happened to become the first black model featured on the cover of Vogue in 1966 - was featured in Look Magazine. Sandi: In the sixties a popular publication at the time was Look Magazine. How did you end up there?ĭonyale Luna in Paco Rabanne, Dec.1966 Photo Richard Avedon
Black super model mod#
Inspired by Donyale LunaĮscama: So the year is 1966, you’re in Paris, the center of 60s mod fashion and you’re working with Paco Rabanne and André Courréges, two of the most avant garde fashion designers at that time.
Sandi Collins modeled in Paris in the 1960s and agreed to talk with us about her experiences including her memories of modeling for Paco Rabanne. fashion industry by including black fashion models in his shows. In the mid 1960s he poked the French fashion establishment in the eye with designs made of unconventional materials and created enemies in the U.S. Paco Rabanne is the rebellious 60s fashion designer known for dressing Brigitte Bardot and Barbarella, and for his metal purse ' Le 1969' - the inspiration for our metallic purses and clothing. It's flattering to be mistaken for Diana Ross but Sandi Collins would like to be correctly recognized for what she truly is: one of the first American black models in Paris fashion couture.
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