Donyale Luna

[anniehall]

Donyale Luna in Edie Gladstone
Richard Avedon

devorahmacdonald blogspot

 

[anniehall]

devodotcom

 

[DreamsOfCandy]

I would never justify someone passing, but why would you say it is understandable in "her day", the late '60s- early '70s when she was popular? That was at the center of the Black Power/civil rights movement and people, more than ever, were proud of their black heritage. And there were other Black models who were popular at the time. I could see if it were a few decades earlier but what would be her reasoning?

This is a terribly old thread but since I've been reading up on Donyale, I wanted to answer.

Donyale did lie about her true ethnicity but I don't think it was due to simple reasons. She started "inventing" things about herself back when she was in high school (hence her name). I don't think she was ashamed about being black entirely, but I do think she wanted to reinvent herself for a number of reasons. I think she wanted to minimize being black because she didn't want it to be the focal point. It's understandable to a degree because no one wants to be seen as just a race - we're all people first and foremost. Plus, a model that's "just black" is less exotic than a black model who also has Native American, Latin, or European ties is seen as "exotic". I think she wanted to be viewed as exotic and different.

I can understand why she did it but why she kept lying about it or dismissing it is beyond me. She was accepted for who she was (for the most part) and I don't think anyone believed her anyway. I don't think she ever learned that all important defense tool of ignoring hateful people.

 

[Miss Dalloway]

Article about her in Australian Marie Claire, April 2013:


storemags.com

 

[rubydon]

Playboy Magazine, 1975




devoutfashion

 

[aracic]

Playboy April, 1975
˝Luna˝
Photographs by Luigi Cazzaniga


Playboy Digital Archive

 

[Bernie Flood]

Playboy April, 1975
˝Luna˝
Photographs by Luigi Cazzaniga


Playboy Digital Archive

This was very artsy for Playboy. I believe this was her concept. Almost like a fashion shoot by Paris Vogue and W during their golden days.

 

[Bernie Flood]

I watched her documentary last night! So sad that she was snubbed by the American Vogue! Avedon wanted her to do The Great Fur Caravan (most expensive Vogue editorial to date)- that could had been her biggest break.
Avedon pushing her to be recognized by DV but she compared her to King-Kong -quite racist but its a different time though what I understand is DV find her fascinating (still wrong) as King-Kong. Though DV gave break to Naomi Sims, Princess Elizabeth of Toro, Charlene Dash.
Other words, Luna made it big to Europe but never in America.