Trailblazers in Fashion: The rise and impact of Black male models in the industry

When you think about how Black men are impacting American culture, the modeling industry may not immediately come to mind. But from magazine covers to nationwide campaigns to high-fashion runways, Black male models are making waves in the fashion industry.

Even if you don’t know much about fashion, you’ll want to study up on these Black famous male models whose biggest achievements are reshaping the industry as we know it. Here’s every Black male model you should know about in 2024.

A Brief History of Black Male Models in Fashion

Even the least fashionable among us can probably easily name a few Black models, such as Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, or Iman. You might even think of the criminally under-appreciated Donyale Luna, star of the supermodel documentary on HBO. You’ll probably notice something these names all have in common: They’re women. And while we certainly don’t want to undermine the massive achievements of these Black supermodels, it’s clear that at least the American fashion industry has long preferred to give their limited spots for people of color to Black women over Black men.

Early trailblazers for Black men in the modeling industry included Benin-born Djimon Hounsou, who found fame posing for designer Thierry Mugler, actor and NAACP Image Award-winner Shemar Moore, and Ford model Boris Kodjoe. We’d be remiss not to mention the late Renauld White, the iconic model and actor who died in 2024 after a long career of breaking boundaries in fashion. These and many more icons paved the way for today’s top Black male models.

Most Influential Black Male Models

1. Tyson Beckford

If you’ve studied the fashion industry, you’ll recognize Tyson Beckford as one of the best-known Black male models of all time. This Bronx-born fashion model first broke boundaries in the 1990s by establishing himself as one of the first famous Black American male models with well-known campaigns like his 1999 ad for Guess Raw Denim.

Outside of fashion, Beckford has appeared in music videos like Lizzo’s “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)” and Mariah Carey’s “Infinity.” He was also cast in films like “Into the Blue” (2005), and “Searching for Bobby D” (2005). Beckford even played himself in the modeling comedy “Zoolander” (2001), proving that even one of the world’s best-looking men knows not to take himself too seriously.

2. Alton Mason

This Nebraska-born runway model made history by becoming the first Black male model to walk in a Chanel show in 2018. Since then, he was named Male Model of the Year by GQ Australia, was featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list, and even branched out into acting.

At just 26 years old, Mason has already landed a few major acting roles. He’s popped up in the 2022 TV series “Yara Shahidi’s Day Off” and, most notably, portrayed Little Richard in the biopic “Elvis” (2022). Now an established model and actor, we can’t wait to see where Mason’s many talents take him next.

3. Adonis Bosso

Our next mold-breaking model hails from Côte d’Ivoire by way of Canada. Adonis Bosso was working a retail job at H&M when he landed his first campaign. It was with the very same company, bringing a sudden end to his days as a sales rep.

That was a stroke of luck not only for Bosso himself but also for the many brands he would go on to pose for, including Armani Exchange, Dolce & Gabbana, Tom Ford, Vivienne Westwood, Thom Browne, and Yeezy. On a more personal side, the 34-year-old Bosso and his girlfriend, fellow model Slick Woods, welcomed a son named Saphir in 2018.

4. Armando Cabral

Model-turned-designer Armando Cabral was born in Guinea-Bissau but raised in Portugal, attending his first runway class at the tender age of 17. That early preparation would pay off just a few years later: Cabral was signed at 21 and went on to walk or pose for multiple major fashion brands, including Louis Vuitton, Balmain, Dries Van Noten, and J. Crew Menswear.

Not content to remain one of the most famous Black men in fashion, Cabral took his investment in fashion to the next level in 2009 by releasing his first footwear collection. He immersed himself so thoroughly in the craft of shoe design that his work landed him a role in the African fashion documentary “Bangaologia – The Science of Style” (2016), directed by Coréon Dú.

5. David Agbodji

Like Cabral, Agbodji hails from West Africa (Togo, specifically). The Togolese model’s career kicked off with a bang in Milan in 2010, where he opened and closed the runway show for Calvin Klein’s Spring/Summer collection. Since then, Agbodji has walked in more than 100 shows for brands like Bottega Veneta, Fear of God, and Zenga. If you’re not much of a runway watcher, you might recognize Agbodji from his cameo in Lady Gaga’s “I Want Your Love” music video (2015).

All that experience made Agbodji an authority on the experiences of Black models in the industry, so he was invited to participate in a variety of short films and videos on the topic, including “The Ever Changing Face of Beauty” (2012) and “Sea of Voices” (2020). When he’s not stomping the runway or analyzing fashion on film, Agbodji pursues a second career as a boxer and Muay Thai fighter.

The Role of Black Male Models in Changing Perceptions of Masculinity and Diversity

We probably don’t have to tell you that traditional gender norms tend to uplift a narrow Eurocentric definition of beauty. Those norms have both influenced and been shaped by the fashion industry, creating a feedback loop of privilege for white models, designers, and journalists.

By being present on runways, magazine covers, red carpets, and movie screens, these Black men and many more have defied racist beauty standards and championed a more inclusive fashion landscape. Like their Black female contemporaries, these models prove that people of any skin tone can be aspirational figures for consumers of all races.

Even so, Black male models have to navigate not only the Eurocentric biases of the fashion industry but also the numerous stereotypes and mistaken expectations that tend to come along with Black masculinity. That can mean being expected to be tall and fit while taking extra care to project an unthreatening nature or trying to take style risks without having your sexuality called into question.

When you see a Black male model in a photo or on the runway, you’re not just looking at an African-American man dressed in a fashionable outfit. You’re witnessing the culmination of decades of individual and collective effort to change the face of fashion around the world.

Up-and-Coming Black Male Models to Watch

1. Babacar N’doye

This London-based model debuted in 2018 at the final show of Burberry designer Christopher Bailey, but the Elite model signee has experienced a burst of success in the past year. He posed for the cover of GQ France in March and has since popped up in campaigns for Burberry, Flâneur, Givenchy, and more.

2. Abdulaye Niang

This up-and-coming model hails from New York and signed with Next London, VISION Los Angeles, and Berlin-based MINT Artist Management. Niang has walked the runway for brands like Gucci and John Elliott and starred in campaigns for Zara, Helmut Lang, and more, and we hope he’s just getting started.

3. De’Laney Ortiz

This Detroit-born model and Next Management signee has already posed for leather brand Luar, appeared in the June issue of GQ South Africa, and acted in the 2021 reboot of “Gossip Girl.” Whether he decides to stick with modeling or branch farther out into acting, we can’t wait to see what Ortiz does next.

The Future of Black Male Representation in Fashion

As more and more people call for increased diversity in all facets of life, it stands to reason that more Black male models will rise to prominence in the coming years. No matter who they might be, the next generation of Black men in fashion will doubtless have the trailblazers we’ve covered today to thank for the doors they’ve left open behind them.

But thankfully, the achievements of the next generation won’t be limited by the same stringent beauty standards that hampered the models of color who came before them. The world is rapidly embracing new visions of masculinity, beauty, and fashion. We can’t wait to see how those new points of view are embodied in the next wave of Black supermodels, regardless of gender.

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