Bethann Hardison, a former runway model turned agent, activist, mentor, and diversity advocate, will have her life and impact documented in the film « Invisible Beauty. » The documentary, co-directed by Hardison and Frédéric Tcheng, will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 13. The film features industry insiders and friends such as Iman, Naomi Campbell, Zendaya, and Whoopi Goldberg. Hardison has been a vocal advocate for greater diversity in the fashion industry and has helped to create and enact change. She hopes that people will think of her as « damned to the end – just determined. »
The film has already been shown at the Sundance Film Festival and the Seattle International Film Festival, and will be shown at the Berkshire International Film Festival later next month. Hardison is also being honored with an exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art in Brooklyn, and is strengthening the Designers Hub, a network of fashion industry professionals fostering and empowering new generations of Black designers and Black-owned fashion brands. Plans are underway to house the organization in Brooklyn.
Hardison’s impact on the fashion industry has been significant, and she hopes that the film will inspire others to make change. She believes that the industry has made progress in terms of diversity, but there is still work to be done. Hardison’s lifelong commitment to activism and advocacy has made her a legend in the industry, and her story is one of determination and perseverance.
Keywords: Bethann Hardison, Invisible Beauty, Tribeca Film Festival, diversity, fashion industry, activism, advocacy, exhibition, Designers Hub, Black designers, Brooklyn.