Long before black models graced the pages of Italian Vogue or even walked the catwalks, there were pioneers like Mounia, muse to Yves Saint Laurent.
Born in Martinique, Mounia’s exotic beauty, flawless complexion, and graceful composure were the perfect complement to Saint Laurent’s glamorous, dramatic creations. She was the first black model Yves Saint Laurent used in his haute couture shows, and was widely considered the French couturier’s favorite model.
Saint Laurent was one of the first designers to employ black models, which raised many eyebrows at the time. He challenged conventional standards of beauty, setting the stage for models like Naomi Campbell, Iman, and Jourdan Dunn, to shine.
In a 2008 W magazine article, Mounia remembered Yves Saint Laurent. She said, “I was his first black muse…He helped open the door for black models. Sometimes I was his confidante, and I would sometimes inspire his creativity. He called me Moumounn. The collection that made me a celebrity was the one inspired by Porgy and Bess. I wore a pink pantsuit and a boater hat. I walked to ‘Summertime’ and really took on the character of Bess. Catherine Deneuve stood up and started clapping. The everyone stood up and called out ‘Bravo!’ Yves Saint Laurent peered around the curtain – a thing that he had never done before – to see what all of the commotion was about. The people were shouting ‘Bravo, Yves Saint Laurent!’ and ‘Brava, Mounia!’ He took me in his arms, and we kissed. This for me was history…After that I had more than 15 covers…Mr. Fairchild gave me my first cover [of WWD], and [French Vogue's] Francine Crescent gave me 27 pages. This was the first time that a black model had arrived in haute couture. I say thank you to Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent and thank you to Monsieur Pierre Bergé. My last word for Yves Saint Laurent is ‘love.’”
Mounia retired from modeling in the 1980′s (she walked almost exclusively for YSL), but did make a reappearance for the tribute to Yves Saint Laurent at Centre Georges Pompidou in 2002.
She began painting oil on canvas in 1997. Her works of art have been dispalyed in galleries across France, the Ivory Coast, Monaco, Japan, Guyana and her native Martinique.
To Mounia!
Sources: Make Fetch Happen & YSL Forever
February 4, 2011 2:10 pm
wow, she looks fantastic. and i think she looked even better with age.
February 4, 2011 2:46 pm
I love reading about these women…! Thanks Ms. Claire!
February 4, 2011 2:49 pm
The black pantsuit/hat is giving me life!! LOVES IT
February 4, 2011 3:20 pm
She has hypnotic eyes.
February 4, 2011 3:23 pm
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS BISH. U better werk. She doesn’t get enough shine so thanks claire for doing this.
February 4, 2011 3:49 pm
Wow. Ive seen her face; never knew her awesome-ness though.
February 4, 2011 5:15 pm
Love these stories!
February 4, 2011 6:54 pm
I remember her vividly. She was a prominent in the 80s. She exudes nobility. When I was little she was my it girl. I wanted to walk like her, talk like her and put it down like her. Ahhh….those were the days.
February 4, 2011 7:00 pm
I love reading about these women as well. You’re definitely opening me up to a wealth of information. Thank you Claire!
February 4, 2011 7:22 pm
[...] Black History Month with Fashion Bomb Daily: Mounia » http:// fashionbombdaily.com [...]
February 4, 2011 10:11 pm
loving the spotlight on these wonderful women who many may not know about…i know that i never knew about her! awesome post
February 4, 2011 10:27 pm
Keep the Black History Month with Fashion information coming, Claire!
February 4, 2011 11:07 pm
Simply amazing! Her statement in Vogue brought me to tears for some reason, these women were so committed, so ahead of the game on embodying glamour and fantasy. Brilliant again Claire! Mounia in the gold lame shuts it down.
February 4, 2011 11:58 pm
I’m about to make that pic with YSL & all the models my new wallpaper STAT!
February 5, 2011 3:34 pm
Thank you for this piece. It is great to hear about a Black model from this period who was never lost a sense of herself and her talent.
February 7, 2011 6:21 pm
I am extremely excited about this post. This is the woman my mother named me after and many have never even heard of her. She exudes and epitomizes beauty to me and I am honored to share her name. By coincidence also, Yves Saint Laurent was one of my top 2 favorite designers. Thanks Claire!!
February 15, 2011 1:24 pm
Grace…that’s the one word that comes to mind when i see her…simply beautiful and so humble. i love it. these pieces just keep getting better and better Claire!
February 17, 2011 5:57 pm
[...] Mounia may have been Yves Saint Laurent’s first black muse, Katoucha carried on her legacy as one of [...]
August 7, 2011 5:05 pm
magic and beauty that stills lingers on and still inspires today .my trinity . pat cleveland,billie blair .and mounia. back up (romona sanders.).thanks kimothy