#Throwback Thursday: Pat Cleveland

Born in New York on June 23rd, 1952, Clevland was spotted early on for her lovely looks, long and lanky limbs and vibrant personality. 

After working with Ebony, Cleveland began to attract the attention of the major fashion playmakers and designers of the time including Diana Vreeland and Andy Warhol. 

Despite her early success, Pat, like many other black talented individuals, became very frustrated with the prolific racism of her home country. She soon found herself in Paris in 1970, famously promising not to return to the U.S. until Vogue printed its first African American cover. 

Paris was very kind to Pat. She had opportunities to model for Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, Yves Saint Laurent, Thierry Mugler and Christian Dior. She became one of Halston’s favorite models.

But it was on the runway that Cleveland established herself, bringing a unique theatrical style to the catwalk making her appearances more like performance art pieces and less like fashion shows. On November 28, 1973, Pat and 30 other black models to participate in a special runway event at the Palace of Versailles in Paris. Five famous American fashion designers lined up in a face-off with five of France’s best, in front of 800 guests. 

Pat finally returned to United States in 1974 (the same year of US Vogue’s first black cover model), and continued modelling into the 1980s. She went into semi-retirement after getting married and giving birth to two children, Anna and Noel. Today she still makes intermittent appearances on television and on the runway. In 2014, she made waves resurfacing as a model for a Zac Posen campaign. 

At 61, Pat shows no sign so slowing. She  continues to model and encourage her daughter, Anna in her own modeling career. For her indomitable spirit and for bringing art and color to the runways of America and Europe, Pat Cleveland is this week's Throwback Thursday.