Legend Pat Cleveland's Brilliant Past and Present in V Magazine 144 by Nick Thompson AOC Fashion

Model legend Pat Cleveland strikes a pose in V Magazine 144, October, 2023. Oliver Volquardsen styles the now 73-year-old global daughter of diversity who is part African American, part Cherokee, part Swedish and part Irish.

Photographer Nick Thompson [IG] is behind the lens, capturing Cleveland the original wearing Burberry, David Koma, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and more, including vintage. Cartier jewelry is used exclusively.

V’s John Kopp writes that “André Leon Talley once dubbed her “the Josephine Baker of international runways.”’

Taking a REAL Stand on Diversity

Model Anna’s Cleveland’s mother always stood for diversity among fashion models, while acknowledging what is now a familiar theme at AOC: France was less racist than America and remains less racist than the US today.

In 1971, the elder Cleveland moved to France and refused to live in America again until US Vogue featured a Black model on its cover. After Beverly Johnson landed a cover in 1974, Cleveland returned to New York.