Ann Lowe.

In honor of Black History month, we will be honoring black fashion industry professionals that paved the way for so many.

In 1989, Ann was born in small town in Alabama. From a young age Ann learned to be a seamstress and designer, her mother and grandmother worked as seamstress for elite Alabama women. After a ruined marriage, Ann moved with her son to New York then to Tampa,Florida where she opened up her first design salon. She salon soon  became well known and catered to the elite of Tampa. Ann missed the city life and soon moved back to NY. While in NY, she did commissions for different fashion houses and opened another salon.
In 1953, Anns work got nation wide recognition when she designed the wedding gown for Jacqueline Kennedy. Anne dress was described as a “ivory silk taffeta, embellished with interwoven bands of tucking, finished with a portrait neckline and a bouffant skirt.” Ann made numerous dresses for Jacqueline and her family throughout their working relationship, while still creating dresses for her salon and other numerous celebrities.
Ann was quoted as saying her driving force was “to prove that a Negro can become a major dress designer.”
Ann died 1981 and her dresses can be seen in the Smithsonian and in the JFK Presidential museum.