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befriended Johnson and suggested that she join them in the Big Apple over the summer. “‘You could model,’ they said. ‘They make $75 an hour!’” Johnson recalls. At the time, the aspiring attorney was making $28 a week. Remembering the phone number given to her the year before, Johnson made the call that would launch her career. Before she knew what was happening, Beverly Johnson and her mother were boarding a plane for a 10-day photo shoot with Glamour magazine. From there, Vogue followed and Johnson’s now famous cover from August, 1974 made fashion history – an important milestone for both the publishing world and for civil rights. She was 21 years old at the time. The stunning Johnson went on to eventually grace more than 500 magazine covers over the course of her career and by 1975, every major American fashion designer began using African American models. Yet according to Johnson, we still have a long way to go. “There’s a lack of diversity on the runways today,” she says. “Very prestigious designers who I am actually close friends with aren’t using models of color right now. In a way, it’s like we’re back in the 70s.” For Johnson, her star power has given her a platform off the runway to champion the causes near and dear to her heart. “Being a model has made me who I am, and it’s afforded me the opportunity to speak out in a global way.” Not only does Johnson work for equality in fashion, she also gives her time and resources to Denver-based Global Down Syndrome Foundation – the cause that has brought her to the Mile High City. “My first cousin has Down syndrome and so I grew up very close to that world,” she explains. Today, she is joined by niece Natalie – a gorgeous young woman who also happens to have Down syndrome. “When my sister had Natalie, finding proper educational facilities was very challenging. This foundation has helped change that for so many.” Johnson has been involved in the cause for a number of years, particularly with the lauded Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show – a familiar scene for Johnson, albeit a far cry from the catwalks of Paris and Milan. “I can remember my first time walking down a runway, and I will tell you, Natalie did a much better job!” she laughs. “I have seen these children come alive and have so much confidence through this event. They’re just out there strutting their stuff and celebrating their beauty – both inside and out.” And while Johnson cites Natalie as one of her biggest inspirations, she also admits to a few other well-known style icons. “When I was living in New York City, building my modeling career, I worked part time at a shop called Jax. Jacqueline Kennedy was one of our biggest clients,” she reveals. “She was so lovely – always remembering me when we would run into one another. The cashmere sweaters and tees – she was a true icon.” Johnson also found inspiration in the late Lena Horne. “She was so glamorous and larger than life. And she paid attention to looking that way.” An example that Johnson has since followed. “My best style advice is to have some style. The way we look on the outside shows people that we care – about them and about ourselves. Have style – whatever that means to you – just put in the effort and show you care,” she finishes. These days, Beverly Johnson has parlayed her renowned modeling career into a global brand. Hair extensions, wigs, skincare, handbags, apparel, cosmetics and even reality television dot her legendary resume. A fate that stems back to an unknowing leap of faith more than 40 years ago. Some things, it would seem, are simply meant to be.
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