Some women are born to be icons—they possess a power, a beauty, and a confidence that cannot be denied. In my Cube Style Icon series, I select women who have displayed effortless beauty, but also a sense of style and grace that is second to none. No series of black style icons would be complete without mentioning the fabulous and captivating actress, Diahann Carroll.
Diahann Carroll was actually born as Carol Diahann during the depression in the Bronx, New York. As a child she moved to Harlem where she became interested in the arts. Her first major role was alongside Dorothy Dandridge in Carmen. Porgy and Bess soon followed and she became an ingenue.
In the late sixties, Diahann was the first black actor to star in her own television series on network TV in the series Julia. She is also best known as the fearless mother in the 1974 movie Claudine, which is a favorite movie of mine. She later starred in the primetime soap drama Dynasty, and made guest appearances on A Different World.
When it came to beauty and style, there are few that can compare to Diahann. Below is a photo montage of some of my favorite pictures of her.
She is one of those women who aged beautifully also – getting better with each year!
I was 6 years old when the sitcom Julia was on tv. I had a Julia lunchbox. She was always portrayed as a sophisticated lady and later a Diva icon.