Ann Lowe was an American fashion designer and the first African American to become a noted fashion designer. Her designs thrived in the ’40s and ’50s, yet they were never properly acknowledged. Lowe was the first internationally-recognized African American fashion designer. Her one-of-a-kind designs were commissioned by New York’s most famous and wealthy families such as the Rockefellers, du Pont, and Roosevelt. At the time, she was regarded as “society’s best kept secret” due to her race.
While she was a pioneer of the industry, she was hardly ever given public credit for many of her dresses — one example was the dress Olivia de Havilland wore to accept the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1946. Lowe was mentioned in The Washington Post for arguably one of her most iconic gowns: Jacqueline Bouvier’s bridal gown for her marriage to John F. Kennedy which is known as the most photographed wedding dress in history. Ultimately, her talent and relative fame lead to a design job with department store Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City, becoming one of their most sought after designers. She worked for Hattie Carnegie, was the first black designer to open a store on Madison Avenue, and was awarded Couturier of the Year in 1961. She retired in 1972.