Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Oct 06, 2025

Iconic Moments in Black Fashion History, According to The Kimbino

Iconic Moments in Black Fashion History, According to The Kimbino

The archivist walks us through 7 of her favorites.

Kim Russell, widely known as The Kimbino, is quickly becoming the internet’s favorite digital fashion archivist. The 26 year old’s feeds are an endless compilation of iconic moments in recent fashion history perfectly paired with her own witty analysis. For a photo of Sarah Jessica Parker in an episode of Sex and the City, she captioned it: “Another day another outfit that forces me to forgive Carrie for her shenanigans. In her Chloé Spring 2001 horse pants and long dirty blonde [ponytail].”

Her references range anywhere from Mariah Carey’s earliest red carpet looks to the Gaultier spring 1994 dress Emma Watson favored at age thirteen. Russell has over 121,000 followers on Instagram, including Marc Jacobs and Bella Hadid. It’s a testament to her talent (not just anyone gets a Happy Birthday tweet from Kim Kardashian, a longtime supporter of Russell’s work). With her relatable banter and smart perspective, Russell’s influence is only growing. In honor of Black History month she walks Vogue through some of her favorite moments in fashion history.

Tracee Ellis Ross and Diana Ross for Thierry Mugler, Spring 1992


This show is one of the most fabulous moments between mother and daughter on a runway that never disappoints. It felt like such a defining moment for Tracee Ellis Ross in her style and fashion journey. Diana Ross has had such a wide reach and influence on designers and the fashion industry. For Tracee’s mom to usher her down the runway for her solo walk was beautiful. This is definitely nepotism I stand behind.



Serena Williams in a Denim Skirt at the US Open, 2004


I was about nine when this match aired, and it hasn’t left my mind since. Who wins a tennis match in a denim skirt and sneaker boots? Serena is such a performer, and the fact that she brought fashion into a game of tennis like this is something no one else [does] successfully.



Luther Vandross at an Oprah Magazine Party, 2000


When I saw Nygel Sartorial post this moment of Luther I almost jumped out of my seat. It feels so rare for men of that generation to pull a look, but he definitely did exactly that. We only ever got to see Tom Ford’s Gucci menswear on models, so to see a Black man wear this lush silk shirt and python pants was everything.



Janet Jackson Wearing Custom Alexander McQueen for the Super Bowl, 2004


I always get really passionate about Janet and the Super Bowl. When I learned the outfit she wore was designed by Alexander McQueen I became even more enthralled by the whole moment. I wish more people appreciated the fashion and moment for what it was, instead of the outrage [that came after].



Seal Wearing Early Raf Simons, 1997


It can be hard for me to find moments in men’s fashion that really rock me, but this is one of those hell yeah moments. Seal was an avid supporter of Raf Simons before he really popped off, and I love that it’s documented.



Lenny Kravitz in Spring 1999 Gucci, 1999


Lenny Kravitz was seen wearing Gucci a lot during this era, but this one stands out to me for personal selfish reasons (it’s my favorite Gucci collection). He took a piece from the womenswear collection and served it with a silver spaceman suit which looked very camp but nonetheless stylish.



Ananda Lewis in Alexander McQueen, 2000


Ananda is an unsung hero of fashion. Whether it was [clothing from] a huge label or a niche brand, she knew how to style everything just right. This Alexander McQueen moment solidifies her iconic status to me because of how particular McQueen was about who wore his pieces. She also looks stunning!


Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
×