China Machado is possibly the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen; the overall bone structure, cheek bones and full lips are phenomenal! Born Noelie Dasouza Machado of Latin and Asian ancestry, China paved the way for generations of models to come, being the first model of color to be featured on the cover of a US fashion magazine, Harper's Bazaar.
Machado started modeling in Paris in 1954 for Givenchy and Balenciaga, but it was her coming to America and meeting Richard Avedon that would change her career and make history. She soon became the muse of the famed photographer, and it was Richard Avedon's photograph that would grace the cover of Harper's Bazaar in 1959. But as we all know, history isn't made without opposition and Avedon had to fight the publishers to keep China's photo on the cover. The publishers were opposed to putting a woman of color on the cover of the magazine for fear of backlash from southern Americans.
China Machado would eventually become a top fashion editor for Harper's Bazaar in the 1960s with the departure of Diana Vreeland. She also started her own fashion magazine in the 1980s called Lear's, a magazine for mature women over 45. And today she is the oldest contracted model signed to IMG at the age of 82...and she is still as gorgeous and fabulous and lively as she was 60 years ago.
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