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| H/T to Vintage Black Glamour |
Hazel Blackman
Hazel Blackman, who is currently in her nineties and living in Florida, still continues to produce paintings and quilts. However, Hazel started out designing clothes. She was born in Jamaica,West Indies, and came to the U.S. to study and graduate from the now-closed Traphagen School of Design in NewYork. Hazel was one of the first designers to work with African fabrics in the l960s. She opened a store, Tree House, first located on Lexington Ave., then later in Harlem, NewYork. Her customers were excited to wear clothes that depicted the “exotic” colors and designs from Africa. Hazel attracted a wide clientele of working women, artists, and women who worked in the entertainment field. One client was Nina Simone, the well-known 1960s jazz singer, who enjoyed Hazel’s evening gown artistry. Stories on Hazel appeared in Mademoiselle,Vogue, Glamour, and McCall’s magazines, among others.After closing Tree House, Hazel returned to her loves: painting and quilting. She’s exhibited her quilts in curated shows and is now working on a memoir of her extraordinary life. Via Sew News
