Supermodel: Donyale Luna Documentary Show Story Through Her Diary

As the first Black supermodel to be featured on the cover of Vogue, Donyale Luna has become immortalized in the history of fashion. A new documentary by HBO on the supermodel highlights her epic career, its highs and lows, and the systemic and cultural barriers she had to overcome as a Black supermodel in America in the 60s and 70s. 

According to AP News, HBO's new documentary on her life is based on the supermodel's diaries, narrated by Luna's daughter Dream Cazzaniga. The documentary shows us a side of the model that's never been seen before and gives us a glimpse of the realities of the fashion industry in Luna's time. 

Who Was Donyale Luna?

Before we talk about Donyale Luna, we have to discuss Peggy Ann Freeman from Detroit, who was scouted at 14 by British photographer David McCabe. In five years, she left Detroit and her unhappy childhood for New York, featuring on the cover of Harper's Bazaar three months later as Donyale Luna. 

A socialite, fashion icon, and a celebrity in her own right, Luna was the muse of artists Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali, according to AP News. Luna's looks and incredible work ethic led her to fashion photographer Richard Avedon, who signed her for a contract, which became the beginning of a long-lasting collaborative friendship with the pair creating images "unlike anything done at the time," according to AP News. 

In Vogue

While Avedon encouraged her and her career, with many other major fashion photographers wanting to work with Luna, the socio-cultural norms at the time that marginalized her as a Black supermodel prevented her from truly flourishing in the United States. Avedon attempted to get her featured on the cover of US Vogue in 1965, a move that then-Vogue editor Diana Vreeland vetoed,  stating that she was "nobody's idea of what anybody wants to look like."

In less than a year, she was featured on the cover of Vogue UK- an iconic move that symbolized the true beginning of her career as the first major Black supermodel. She didn't just model though, she also starred in avant-garde films, such as Andy Warhol's series of Screen Tests, and the French film Who Are You Polly Magoo? (1966). 

'Donyale Luna: Supermodel'

The HBO documentary covers Luna's life through her diaries, narrated by her daughter Dream Cazzaniga. As a fashion icon, Luna's significance in fashion history is not to be understated- she was one of the first major Black supermodels to be featured on the cover of a major fashion magazine, and she embarked on her career at a time when racial tensions in the United States were at an all-time high, during the American Civil Rights movement.

Donyale Luna's diaries reveal that she suffered from long-term loneliness and mental illness, grappling with depression in her final days. Through the documentary, Dream Cazzaniga hopes that her mother and her legacy can finally be understood,  stating that "I know in my heart that she was finally recognized for what she accomplished."

"Donyale Luna: Supermodel," is streaming now on HBO Max. Watch the trailer here.

Suggested Reading: The Super Models Trailer: What It Meant To Be A Supermodel In 90s?