Fashion is apart of our daily lives and many garments stemmed from our ancestors during slavery. Slaves were making garments for their owners for centuries. After gaining their freedom, many of these individuals began to take their talents to another level. These women were designing clothing for some influential people in history such as Dorothy Dandridge and Jacqueline Bouvier, the wife of John F. Kennedy. Here is a list of just a few of the Black women the fashion world who get overlooked:

1. Elizabeth Keckly:

Elizabeth Keckly used her dressmaking skills to support her family post-slavery. After buying her freedom, she moved to Washington D.C. She was well-known for the inaugural gown that she designed for Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of president Abraham Lincoln. The dress can still be seen at the Smithsonian Institute in D.C. Aside from her designing skills, Ms. Keckly was also was an author. One of her most well-known works was her autobiography Behind the Scenes: Or, Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House, which told her personal story as well as the First Family.

2. Ann Lowe

Ann Lowe married her husband in 1912 where he initially banned her from sewing. It wasn't until she enrolled in the S. T. Taylor Design School in New York City that she began to explore her passion. While in school, she faced plenty of segregation, however, Lowe rose above it and moved to Tampa, FL. She then opened her own dress shop, post graduation, called Annie Cohen. Her designs were very popular, yet the owners were taking recognition which led her to open her own store in New York City called Ann Lowe’s Gowns. She reached a pivotal point in her career when she was requested by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassi to design her wedding dress for the future president. Lowe was never given public credit for her luxurious design.

3. Zelda Wynn Valdes

Zelda Wynn Valdes was known for her hip-hugging styles and notable clientele of black women during the era including such as Dorothy Dandridge, Josephine Baker, and Ella Fitzgerald. She opened her own shop in New York in 1948 on Broadway. Her work really caught the eye of Hugh Hefner, who asked her to design the iconic Playboy Bunny outfit. Valdes also made history by helping to create the National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers, which is an organization of black designers.

4. Tracy Reese

Tracy Reese has recently gained national attention because she continues to have the first lady wearing her designs. Reese's designs were strengthened when the FLOTUS wore one of her dresses during the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Her designs are known for their retro-influenced style, the textiles use of bright colors and the elaborate graphic patterns. Tracy Reese’s design lines are carried by retailers such as Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom.

5. Laura Smalls

Laura Smalls also became an overnight sensation when Michelle Obama wore her designs on the last night of the Democratic National Convention. She had been wearing various designs by Small throughout the entire convention, which obviously would raise some awareness of the rising designer. Since then she has continued to design ladylike dresses and gowns for the likes of celebrities such as Zoe Saldana, Halle Berry and Kerry Washington.

6. Tori Nichel:

Nichel holds degrees from the Fashion Institute of Technology and Michigan State University. She began her career at the age of 16 when she began taking classes with her fashion icon. Nichel’s ambitions led her to Kenneth Cole where she grew as a designer. It was during that time that she began to craft her own line.She would go on to work as the Head of Design at Tibi, but her entrepreneurial spirit would lead her to create The Tori Nichel Collection.

7. Mildred Blount

Blount's start in fashion began with her work at Madame Clair's Dress and Hat Shop in New York City. She and her sister decided to open their own store that would be geared towards wealthy New Yorkers. Their designs were shown at the 1939 World's Fair which put their work on the map. She began to create hats and costumes for some of Hollywood's biggest names at the time such as Joan Crawford. Blount would go on to own a hat shop in Beverly Hill, California.

8. Ola Hudson:

Hudson was a costume designer who clothed some of the biggest names like John Lennon and Diana Ross to name a few. There is not much is mentioned of her history in the fashion industry, but she played a significant role in styling Hollywood's best. Most know her as the mother of Slash, a member of the famous Guns N' Roses.

9. Monif Clarke:

Clarke came into the fashion industry looking to make a difference. She wanted to make a fashion line focused on plus-size audiences, but major retailers weren't looking to invest. Without the support of many, Clarke was finally able to launch her dream line in 2006. Monif C. Plus Sizes focuses on creating sexy and trendy clothing for plus-sized women. Rejection turned out to be an awesome thing for Clarke.

10. Azede Jean-Pierre:

Pierre began honing in on her skills when she began her apprenticeship with Ralph Rucci and Onhe Titel. Her upbringing was a huge inspiration to her fashion. She grew up in a very large family and was constantly surrounded by nature and metropolitan life, which would encourage her to represent the 'individual' in fashion. Her brand has been worn by big names such as Lady Gaga and Solange Knowles.

11. Kidada Jones:

Jones had a different introduction to the fashion industry. Initially, she grew up in love with Walt Disney films and wanted to put her passion for the company to use. Jones started out working under Tommy Hilfiger and would later be offered a position with Disney to create Kidada for Disney Couture, a line of clothing and jewelry for adults. She continues to implement edgy, stylish pieces.

Black women have made a great contribution to the growth of the fashion industry since slavery and even back in Africa. Although the presence of Black women in today’s fashion industry is considerably low, we can change this by ensuring that they receive our support.