Breaking Boundaries On the Runway

At the height of 6’2”, with a slender physique and a charming smile, Renauld White was destined to walk down runways for luxury designers. He was regarded as the first Black American supermodel and walked for designer brands like Versace, Ralph Lauren, and Calvin Klein. As a talented model and actor, White left a legacy that broke racial barriers in the modeling industry and cemented himself as an icon in the arts.

Renauld White was born February 1, 1944, in Newark, New Jersey, to Maybelline Scott White, a hat model, and Robert White, Sr. On a night out at the Latin nightclub Palladium, White would meet Black designer Stephen Burrows. Burrows was also from Newark and ultimately encouraged White to pursue modeling.

In 1968, White was rejected by the Ford agency for being too tall and having a scar on his nose from when he played football in high school. At the Wilhelmina agency, White took matters into his own hands and was determined to get signed as a model. He walked up to the receptionist, claimed to be a delegate of the N.A.A.C.P., and demanded to see how many Black models the agency represented. If the numbers weren’t sufficient, he’d come back the next day with a picket line. Instead, White went home with his first modeling contract, and with a foot now in the door of the modeling industry, his career flourished.

White’s modeling career showcased how he broke racial barriers with his talent. Some of White’s earliest appearances were in magazines such as Ebony, Jet, and Essence. In 1979, he became one of the first Black models to be on the cover of GQ and Esquire. Additionally, he was the first Black model to endorse the popular hair product Vitalis Hair Tonic, which was mainly marketed towards white men. He worked until the very end, and a year before he passed, he modeled for Dolce & Gabbana. Throughout his career, White left his mark in films, television, and on Broadway. One of his most notable appearances on television comes from the show Guiding Light. White appeared in seven episodes of the soap drama as the character Willam Reynolds. In 1979, he appeared as himself in the episode Fashion: Male Models from Andy Warhol’s show Fashion. He can also be seen in the 2019 Ralph Lauren documentary, Very Ralph, as a young model on the runway. On the stage on Broadway, White performed in several plays, including “Antony and Cleopatra,” “Medea,” and “Twelfth Night.” The wide range of talent displayed by Renauld White would catch the eye of another highly impactful Black creative.

White’s success garnered the attention of Aretha Franklin after she saw him in a commercial for Black Tie cologne in the 1980’s. Soon after, she requested him to be her personal escort. This included Franklin’s trip to Washington to receive an award at the Kennedy Center in 1994. She and those who got to know White knew him as a gracious gentleman.

As one of the first Black male models to break into the modeling industry, White recognized the impact his actions had. No matter the setting, he would maintain a respectable manner and was known to never curse. He felt like a representative of his race and needed to uphold himself to a high standard of excellence. By doing so, he helped to pave the way for future models of color.

Although White passed away on June 26, 2024, the legacy he left behind will live on. He called for greater Black representation in the fashion world and was a trailblazer for future models of color. This included Musa Jackson, who White mentored, and the first Black male model for Gap. White’s impact surpassed racial barriers in the modeling world and rooted himself as an art icon. In an interview, Renauld explained that when in front of the camera, models must be pillars of coolness. He will forever be seen as a pillar of not only coolness but also elegance.