Ebony Fashion Fair Magazine 1996-1997, published to accompany the Ebony Fashion Fair
Source: School Sisters of Notre Dame North American Archives
The Ebony Fashion Fair was an annual fashion event created by Eunice Johnson, co–founder of the Chicago-based Johnson Publishing Company. The show traveled across the United States and other countries between 1958 and 2009. Inspired by the photographs published in Ebony magazine, the Fashion Fair helped redefine beauty, style, and empowerment for African Americans.
Mount Mary University hosted four sold-out Ebony Fashion Fairs between 1996 and 2001. The Mount Mary Friends of Fashion subsequently purchased 34 Ebony Fashion Fair designer garments for inclusion in the Fashion Archive. In 2015 Mount Mary was a presenting sponsor of Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair at the Milwaukee Art Museum.
Ebony Fashion Fair Program
Source: School Sisters of Notre Dame North American Archives
Mount Mary's Ebony Fashion Fair Collection features distinct and uniquely different garments that showcase the talents and vision of noted American, Australian, British, Dutch, French, Italian and Polish designers. The Ebony Fashion Fair Collection continues to inspire as fashion design students have created contemporary garments that reflect the spirit, style and creativity of the Fair.