Valdes, Zelda Wynn
1905-2001 · Contribution: 1948-1960
Fashion & Costume Designer
Designed the original Playboy Bunny costume
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Quick facts
- Born
- 1905
- Active since
- 1948
- Category
- Arts, Music & Entertainment Tech
- Best known for
- First Black-owned business on BroadwayCostumer for Dance Theatre of HarlemOriginal Playboy Bunny costume
Impact on the world
Valdes broke ground as a Black woman business owner and celebrity couturier, then shaped the look of an iconic ballet company, including a quiet strike against ballet's white default with skin-tone tights. Her influence spanned glamour and the stage.
An alternative history
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Sources
- Source lookupFind
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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