Did you know the original Playboy Bunny costume was designed by a Black woman?

Zelda Wynn Valdes wasn’t just a designer—she was a pioneer. In 1948, she opened Chez Zelda, the first Black-owned boutique on Broadway in Manhattan, making fashion history at a time when racial and gender barriers were steep.

Valdes learned to sew from her grandmother and honed her skills working at her uncle’s tailoring shop. As a child, she made clothes for her dolls, and later, a dress for her grandmother—who was so impressed, she chose to be buried in that very garment.

Her first job was in a high-end boutique where she faced intense scrutiny due to her race and gender. But Zelda’s talent spoke louder than prejudice. Her reputation grew, and soon her designs were worn by the most glamorous women of her time, including Josephine Baker, Dorothy Dandridge, Ella Fitzgerald, Marian Anderson, Sarah Vaughan, Joyce Bryant, and even Mae West.

In 1949, she became president of the New York chapter of NAFAD (National Association of Fashion and Accessory Designers), founded by civil rights legend Mary McLeod Bethune to promote Black excellence in fashion.

At 65, Valdes began designing costumes for the Dance Theatre of Harlem, invited by founder Arthur Mitchell. Her designs moved with grace and power—just like the dancers who wore them.

And yes, later in her career, Hugh Hefner tapped her to design the original Playboy Bunny costume—one of the most recognizable uniforms in pop culture history.

Zelda Wynn Valdes worked well into her 80s, closing her business only to retire at age 83. “I just had a God-given talent for making people beautiful,” she said in a 1994 interview with The New York Times.

She passed away in 2001 at the age of 96—but her legacy in fashion, culture, and Black history remains powerful and enduring.