The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show was a historic fashion show held on November 28, 1973, in the

Palace of Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 19 ...

to raise money for its restoration. Created by

Eleanor Lambert Eleanor Lambert (August 10, 1903 – October 7, 2003) was an American fashion publicist. She was instrumental in increasing the international prominence of the American fashion industry and in the emergence of New York City as a major fashion ca ...

and Versailles curator Gerald Van der Kemp, the show pitted French designers ( Yves Saint Laurent,

Pierre Cardin Pierre Cardin (, , ), born Pietro Costante Cardino (2 July 1922 – 29 December 2020), was an Italian-born naturalised-French fashion designer. He is known for what were his avant-garde style and Space Age designs. He preferred geometric shap ...

Emanuel Ungaro Emanuel Ungaro (13 February 1933 – 21 December 2019) was a French fashion designer who founded the eponymous fashion house in 1965. Early life Ungaro's Italian father fled to France from Francavilla Fontana of Brindisi province because of th ...

Marc Bohan Marc Roger Maurice Louis Bohan (born 22 August 1926) is a French fashion designer, best known for his 30-year career at the house of Dior. Early life and career Bohan was born in Paris and grew up in Sceaux. As a child, Marc Bohan was encourag ...

, and Hubert de Givenchy) against American designers (

Oscar de la Renta Óscar Arístides Renta Fiallo (22 July 1932 – 20 October 2014), known professionally as Oscar de la Renta, was a Dominican fashion designer. Born in Santo Domingo, he was trained by Cristóbal Balenciaga and Antonio del Castillo. De la Renta ...

, Stephen Burrows, Halston,

Bill Blass William Ralph Blass (June 22, 1922 – June 12, 2002) was an American fashion designer. He was the recipient of many fashion awards, including seven Coty Awards and the Fashion Institute of Technology's Lifetime Achievement Award (1999). Early ...

, and Anne Klein, who brought along her assistant, Donna Karan). With a guest list of 700 and notables such as

Princess Grace Grace Patricia Kelly (November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982) was an American actress who, after starring in several significant films in the early to mid-1950s, became Princess of Monaco by marrying Prince Rainier III in April 1956. Kelly ...

Marie-Hélène de Rothschild Marie-Hélène Naila Stephanie Josina de Rothschild (; November 17, 1927 – March 1, 1996) was a French socialite who became a doyenne of Parisian high-society and was a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of France. Early life ...

Jacqueline de Ribes Jacqueline, comtesse de Ribes (born 14 July 1929) is a French aristocrat, designer, fashion icon, businesswoman, producer and philanthropist. She has been a member of the International Best Dressed List since 1962. Early life Jacqueline Bonni ...

Gloria Guinness Gloria Guinness previously Gloria von Fürstenberg, née Rubio y Alatorre (27 August 1912 – 9 November 1980) was a Mexican socialite and fashion and cultural icon, as well as a contributing editor to ''Harper's Bazaar'' from 1963 to 1971, con ...

Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...

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and

Joséphine Baker Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald; naturalised French Joséphine Baker; 3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975) was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in her adopted Fran ...

the event became legendary. Each designer was to submit eight designs for consideration. The Parisian designers viewed their competition as mere sportswear designers. The American designers used eleven black models, an unprecedented number at the time. The American designers and their models stole the show, providing a youthful approach and stunning the primarily French audience. In 2011, the Huffington Post Game Changer Awards honored the African American models of Versailles with the Style Award. The models included Pat Cleveland,

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 div ...

Billie Blair Billie Blair is an American model. Early life Blair was born in Arkansas to parents, Hattie and William Blair, and is of African-American descent. Her name was given to her due to her father's certainty that she was going to be a boy. His plan ...

, Jennifer Brice, Alva Chinn,

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 Palac ...

Charlene Dash Charlene Dash is an African-American Model (person), 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 Battl ...

, Barbara Jackson, 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 Colleg ...

. In 2012, filmmaker Deborah Riley Draper chronicled the event in the feature documentary, ''Versailles '73: American Runway Revolution''. The film included designer Stephen Burrows, French Chambre Syndicale President Didier Grumbach, and many of the models, journalists and guest who attended the event in 1973. In 2016 another documentary "Battle at Versailles" was made by the fashion network M2M, chronicling the event. The film was narrated by Stanley Tucci and featured many of the event's participants. at Versailles".
/ref> A fictionalized version of the Battle is depicted in the television miniseries ''Halston'', which premiered May 2021 on

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

References

External links

* Clarissa Cruz
"The Bold and the Beautiful: 3 Women Who Paved the Way for Black Models"
''O, The Oprah Magazine'', May 2012.
"Versailles '73: American Runway Revolution".

"Versailles '73: American Runway Revolution" panel discussion
from Archive on Demand
"The Battle of Versailles: Robin Givhan in conversation with Patricia Mears"
from Archive on Demand
"A Black Model in Paris"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Versailles Fashion Show Fashion events in France African-American cultural history 1973 in France 1973 in fashion November 1973 events in Europe