We spent part of the long holiday weekend pouring over vintage fashion magazines and were reminded of how much we loved (and miss) model Karen Alexander, she of the insanely beautiful bone structure and perfect pout. Alexander was one of THE models of the 80’s, black or otherwise, and her face has graced the covers of just about all of the major fashion magazines. She was one of the first models of color to be featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. The New Jersey-born model was also highlighted in People Magazine’s very first 50 Most Beautiful People issue, being photographed while 4 months pregnant. We also love how she is BFF’s with another of our favorite 80’s models, Elaine Irwin, the soon-to-be ex of singer John Mellencamp. Below are some of our favorite images from Alexander’s career.
The Black Market 