In honor of the legendary Battle of Versailles designer's birthday, learn some more about his life and legacy.

Few designers feel as relevant today as <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/stephen-burrows-designer-color-blocking-black-fashion-history" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stephen Burrows</a>. A staple of New York City&rsquo;s disco-scene in the &lsquo;60s, but also an international sensation from his French debut at the legendary Battle of Versailles, Burrows' bold, but <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/la-vie-style-house-caftan-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comfortable aesthetic</a> is more relevant than ever. From Brandon Maxwell&rsquo;s color coded Spring/Summer 2021 collection, to <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/christopher-john-rogers-tiffany-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christopher John Rogers</a> rainbow color blocked knit dresses, to <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion-week/miu-miu-fall-winter-2021-collection-runway-fashion-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miu Miu&rsquo;s</a> saturated Spring/Summer 2021 collection, Burrows&rsquo; influence is truly everywhere.&nbsp;
Born in Newark, New Jersey to father Gerald Burrows and mother Octavia Pennington, fashion was a part of the designer&rsquo;s life from an early age. Both his parents worked for the Hattie Carnegie label in the Garment District of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/pyer-moss-kerby-jean-raymond-first-black-american-designer-haute-couture-debut-fall-winter-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York City</a> as sample makers. So before Burrows was even in highschool he had made his first pair of pants out of a leather trench coat that belonged to his grandmother. His grandmother Beatrce Simmons was also Burrows teacher, who showed him how to formally sew, cut, and create when he was in high school. It was during this time that he developed his signature &ldquo;zigzag,&rdquo; stitch.&nbsp;
There is so much more to the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/afterpay-img-nyfw-partnership-laquan-smith-see-now-buy-now-fashion-show-spring-summer-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">designer&rsquo;s </a>personal and sartorial history that often does not have enough light shed upon it. In celebration of Burrows&rsquo; birthday this year, here, L&rsquo;OFFICIEL rounds up six facts about his life and legacy.

Initially the designer attended the Philadelphia Museum College of Art in Pennsylvania, but moved to New York City in 1962 to attend The Fashion Institute of Technology instead.

After graduating from FIT, he was hired as a designer for Weber Originals, but left Weber in 1967 to co-found O Boutique in New York City. 

During his time running Stephen Burrows World out of Henri Bendel’s studio, entertainment icons like Diana Ross, Barbara Streisand, and Cher were among Burrows’ most frequent customers.

The only black designer at the Battle of Versailles, Burrows brought 10 Black models, including Bethann Hardison, Billie Blair, Norma Jean Darden, and Pat Cleveland.

On the runway at the Battle of Versailles, Burrows became the first internationally acclaimed African American designer and thereafter also became the first African American to win the Coty Award, the highest honor in American fashion at the time.

6 Facts About Stephen Burrows, the Pioneering African American Designer of the '70s

Tags

Related Articles

Fashion

Color Blocking is Back, Here's the History of the Black Designer That First Popularized It

Fashion Week

Virgil Abloh Imagines "Heaven On Earth" for Louis Vuitton Men's Fall/Winter 2020 Show

Fashion

15 Facts About Halston

Recommended posts for you

Fashion

10 Best Coats from the Fall/Winter 2021 Collections

Fashion

Adidas Originals X Prada are Heading Into the Metaverse

Fashion

5 Aquarius-Approved Trends for Winter

Fashion

The Evolution of Couture, From the House of Worth to the Met Gala

Men's

Chanel Ambassador Gaspard Ulliel Dies in Serious Ski Accident

Fashion

Janis Joplin’s Coolest Style Moments

Film & TV

Not Even Emma Stone Knew About Andrew Garfield's 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' Role

Pop culture

10 Reasons to Love Dolly Parton