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Style Icon:Josephine Baker
She was an American girl, from the poor black neighborhoods of St. Louis, Missouri, USA, who decided she wanted something different. She went to France where she became an overnight sensation. African-ness, what the French called “Négritude”, had become a huge fad in Paris… Black people, it was then thought, were exotic and fun-loving and uninhibited in a way that thrilled café society. A number of Black American jazz musicians made the trip over to France before WWII, and were astonished at how there was little or no racial prejudice over there… when in the States they had been second-class citizens.
She became famous for appearing onstage nude… except for a skirt made of costume bananas… or a skirt made of strips of dangling rabbit fur… which revealed just about everything. Her short hair was plastered to her skull with shiny brilliantine, showing off the Art Deco oval geometry of her head. A big mischievous smile and darting eyes suggested a playful naughtiness. She sang cute songs and danced the Charleston, with her long, thin brown limbs, which thrilled the French. In other words she gave them a parody of untamed African tribal ritual, set hip-ly to jazz music.
Rather than take offense at African stereotypes, these Black Americans milked them for all it was worth, and the money and fame kept on coming. They were treated like royalty in Paris. Baker has been called the first Black superstar, and at one time was said to be the richest Black woman in the world.
Some will say that her character of the wild woman was received with condescension. This was possible at first, but very quickly it made it possible to make Josephine Baker the pioneer of what some describe as a Negro Renaissance, based on a mixture of jazz, Dadaism, Negro art and cubism.
In fact, she became the muse of the Cubists who worshipped its style and forms, and aroused the enthusiasm of Parisians for jazz and black music.
She became famous for appearing onstage nude… except for a skirt made of costume bananas… or a skirt made of strips of dangling rabbit fur… which revealed just about everything. Her short hair was plastered to her skull with shiny brilliantine, showing off the Art Deco oval geometry of her head. A big mischievous smile and darting eyes suggested a playful naughtiness. She sang cute songs and danced the Charleston, with her long, thin brown limbs, which thrilled the French. In other words she gave them a parody of untamed African tribal ritual, set hip-ly to jazz music.
Rather than take offense at African stereotypes, these Black Americans milked them for all it was worth, and the money and fame kept on coming. They were treated like royalty in Paris. Baker has been called the first Black superstar, and at one time was said to be the richest Black woman in the world.
Some will say that her character of the wild woman was received with condescension. This was possible at first, but very quickly it made it possible to make Josephine Baker the pioneer of what some describe as a Negro Renaissance, based on a mixture of jazz, Dadaism, Negro art and cubism.
In fact, she became the muse of the Cubists who worshipped its style and forms, and aroused the enthusiasm of Parisians for jazz and black music.