In the city of Detroit in 1951, fashion designer and businesswoman Ann Jewel Moore founded Ann Moore Couturiere, her very own business where she created and sold clothes for people who wanted to wear her designs!

She graduated from Spelman College in 1943, studied at top fashion schools in New York and Paris and even created costumes for a Broadway musical. Yet,  she faced challenges to becoming a successful fashion designer. In Atlanta, she was excluded from trying on hats in department stores, was often referred to as Ann instead of the proper “Ms. Moore,” and faced discrimination in trying to own her own business.

Moore was determined to fashion her own history and show her community what she could achieve. She moved from Atlanta to Detroit, where she opened her business right across the street from Motown Records, a Black-owned music company that released songs by African American icons like Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin. Moore’s work became so impactful that not only did she create outfits for musicians, but her work was also featured in top fashion and culture magazines like Vogue, Women’s Wear Daily, Jet, and the Atlanta Daily World. By believing in herself, Moore designed a future where her talents could truly be recognized.