Alva Chinn is an American fashion model.

Early life, career beginnings

She is of Chinese, English, Indian, and Black ancestry. She grew up in Boston where she was the valedictorian of her high school class. While attending the

University of Massachusetts The University of Massachusetts is the five-campus public university system and the only public research system in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The university system includes five campuses (Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, and a medical ...

, she modeled for ''Mademoiselle'' magazine's college issue. Shortly thereafter, she moved to New York to start a modeling career.

Work

She modeled for

Halston Roy Halston Frowick (April 23, 1932 – March 26, 1990), known mononymously as Halston, was an American fashion designer who rose to international fame in the 1970s. His minimalist, clean designs, often made of cashmere or ultrasuede, were ...

, Saint Laurent, Chanel, and

Chloé Chloé () is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion. During the next year of 1953 Aghion joined forces with Jacques Lenoir, formally managing the business side of the brand, allowing Aghion to purely pursue the creative ...

. In 2004, she and designer Stephen Burroughs collaborated on a collection. With

Pat Cleveland Patricia Cleveland (born June 23, 1950)The History Makers
August 14, 2014. Retrieved March ...

, Anjelica Huston,

Pat Ast Pat Ast (October 21, 1941 – October 3, 2001) was an American actress and model. She was best known for starring in Andy Warhol films and being a Halston model and muse in the 1970s. Early life Patricia Ann Ast was born on October 21, 1941 in t ...

Karen Bjornson Karen Bjornson (born 1952) is an American model. She is best known as one of Halston's ''Halstonettes''. In 2019, she was one of many of his former models to be interviewed for the documentary film ''Halston''. Bjornson was born in Galesburg, Ill ...

, and Connie Cook, among others, she became one of

's favored troupe of models, nicknamed the Halstonettes. In 2019, she was one of many of his former models to be interviewed for the documentary film ''

''. She also appears on the cover of

Chic Chic (; ), meaning "stylish" or "smart", is an element of fashion. It was originally a French word. Pronounced Chick. Etymology '' Chic'' is a French word, established in English since at least the 1870s. Early references in English diction ...

's 1977 self-titled debut album ''

''.

Awards

In 2011, Chinn was recognized by the '' Huffington Post'' Game Changer Awards. The awards honored

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

models featured in

The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show was a historic fashion show held on November 28, 1973, in the Palace of Versailles to raise money for its restoration. Created by Eleanor Lambert and Versailles curator Gerald Van der Kemp, the show pitted Fr ...

which was a

fashion show A fashion show (French ''défilé de mode'') is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase their upcoming line of clothing and/or accessories during a fashion week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the Spring/Summer and Fal ...

held on November 28, 1973, in the Palace of Versailles in France. The fashion show was organized to raise money to restore the palace. Chinn was among several models recognized, including

Pat Cleveland Patricia Cleveland (born June 23, 1950)The History Makers
August 14, 2014. Retrieved March ...

Bethann Hardison Bethann Hardison is an American fashion model and activist. Hardison is well known for being one of the first high profile black models after her appearance at the 1973 Battle of Versailles fashion show. She is also known for her activism on di ...

, Billie Blair,

Norma Jean Darden Norma Jean Darden is a model recognized by the 2011 Huffington Post Game Changer Awards. The awards honored African American models featured in The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show which was a fashion show held on November 28, 1973, in the Pal ...

Charlene Dash Charlene Dash is an African-American model. Dash is one of the models recognized by the 2011 Huffington Post Game Changer Awards. The awards honored African American models featured in the Versailles fashion show entitled The Battle of Versailles ...

, Jennifer Brice, Barbara Jackson,

China Machado Noelie Dasouza Machado (25 December 1929 – 18 December 2016), known as China Machado, was a Chinese-born American fashion model, editor, and television producer. She was the first model of color to appear in a major American fashion magazin ...

, Ramona Saunders, and

Amina Warsuma Amina Warsuma (born 1953) is an American model, author, actress and film maker. Early life Warsuma was born in the Bronx, New York to a Somali father and an American mother. Education Warsuma graduated with an ASS degree from Monroe College ...

References

African-American female models Living people Place of birth missing (living people) Year of birth missing (living people) American female models 21st-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women {{US-model-stub American female models of Indian descent American models of Chinese descent