Makeup Beat

DONYALE LUNA the 1960’s, six foot two Super Model, aka Peggy Anne Freeman from Detroit Michigan…was on the cover of BAZAAR in 1965 and the cover of VOGUE in 1966 (which makes her the first black model to be on Vogues cover). TIME magazine declared 1966 “The Luna Year”. SALVADOR DALI considered Donyale his muse, RICHARD AVEDON had her under exclusive contract, and ADEL ROOTSTEIN modeled a mannequin in her image. She was also one of the first to wear blue contact lenses to add to her exotic beauty. But by 1968 her evasive and erratic behavior (not wearing shoes summer or winter, crawling down the runway on her hands and knees, not showing up for bookings, declaring her love of the drug LSD) along with her displeasure being considered black, (she insisted she was Mexican, Chinese, Native American, Irish and Black) labeled her un-professional. So she made CAMP, a movie by ANDY WARHOL, and then the film THE ROLLING STONES ROCK & ROLL CIRCUS. Next Luna went off to Europe to work in the films, SALOME, FELLINIS-SATYRICON, and QUI ETES-VOUS POLLY MAGOO. In ‘75 she was photographed nude for PLAYBOY magazine by LUIGI CAZZANIGA (with whom she had a child named “Dream”). Sadly by 1979 she died of a drug overdose in Rome.
For me, Donyale Luna will forever remain the truly first black super model.
Photo above by Richard Avedon. Dress by PACO RABANE.