PARIS, FRANCE – MARCH 2: Veronica Webb (middle) walks the runway during the Tommy Hilfiger TOMMYNOW Spring 2019 : TommyXZendaya Premieres at Theatre des Champs-Elysees on March 2, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Estrop/Getty Images) 
PARIS, FRANCE – MARCH 02: Pat Cleveland walks the runway during the Tommy Hilfiger TOMMYNOW Spring 2019 : TommyXZendaya Premieres at Theatre des Champs-Elysees on March 02, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images For Tommy Hilfinger)
Last year, Zendaya was introduced as a global women’s ambassador and collaborator for the TommyNow Spring collection. A few weeks ago, actress Zendaya debuted her TommyXZendaya collection during Paris Fashion week. The fashion show featured an all-Black cast- totaling 59 models. Among them, legends Pat Cleveland, Veronica Webb, Beverly Johnson and THE GRACE JONES. Iconic.
PARIS, FRANCE – MARCH 02: A model walks the runway during the Tommy Hilfiger TOMMYNOW Spring/Summer 2019 : TommyXZendaya Premieres at Theatre des Champs-Elysees on March 02, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) 
PARIS, FRANCE – MARCH 2: A model walks the runway during the Tommy Hilfiger TOMMYNOW Spring 2019 : TommyXZendaya Premieres at Theatre des Champs-Elysees on March 2, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Estrop/Getty Images) 
PARIS, FRANCE – MARCH 02: A model walks the runway during the Tommy Hilfiger TOMMYNOW Spring/Summer 2019 : TommyXZendaya Premieres at Theatre des Champs-Elysees on March 02, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
The show itself was an epic nod to the Battle of Versailles. Until the 1970s, American fashion was a joke on the global stage. The “Battle” legitimized American brands and designers; giving them visibility and credibility. Fast forward to 2019 and the show was the ultimate inspiration for another historical moment. One of ten black models from Versailles, Bethann Hardison, sat front row at the Tommy show. All black models at Paris Fashion Week? It’s almost unheard of. A special moment for fashion lovers was watching Grace Jones strut down the runway. In her prime, Grace broke barriers for Black muses- especially ones with darker complexions. She wasn’t afraid to bend gender normatives in fashion and she promoted women of all shapes.
