Donyale Luna…
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.
on September 19th, 2006 at 5:17 pm
Facinating!
on February 15th, 2007 at 10:55 pm
A beautiful disaster.
on March 2nd, 2009 at 5:14 am
I’m so glad you posted this. I’ve searched for things on Donyale for years and have come across so little. I first heard of her when I saw her in the Rolling Stones’ “Rock and Roll Circus” and was surprised that she wasn’t more well-remembered for the trailblazer that she was. Bravo!