"Tyson Beckford is the greatest Black male model of our generation - and it's not even close. Back in the '90s, the lean, melanated baldie from the Bronx gave fashion houses access to minority cultures around the globe, often the only Black model in casting rooms full of blond, blue-eyed boys. "They would look at me like I was crazy," remembers Beckford of his fair-skinned peers. "Like, 'Didn't you get the memo? Did your agent mess up and send you to the wrong casting?'""
"After a year of awkward auditions for lily-white lines like Abercrombie & Fitch, Beckford linked with another icon, Ralph Lauren, in 1993, becoming the Polo poster child during his Jordan year. ("It was like signing an NBA contract right out of school," says Beckford.) To this day, no Black male model has grossed more coin than the billboard god of the '90s. His reign on the top was long like marathons."
Tyson Beckford rose to dominant prominence as a Black male model in the 1990s, becoming a cultural bridge for fashion houses and often the only Black face in casting rooms. He recalls peers reacting to his presence with disbelief during early, lily-white auditions. Beckford signed with Ralph Lauren in 1993 and became the Polo poster child, equating the deal to an NBA contract and earning unprecedented income for a Black male model. After decades at the top and an emotional falling out with Diddy, he grew tired of fashion and retired. Beyoncé later invited him back, reigniting his career.
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