EXCLUSIVE: When Tyra Banks was a child growing up in LA, her mother Carolyn London (affectionately known as Mumma Carolyn) worked three jobs to support her children.
Banks always dreamed of a bigger life for herself and her mum, and at 15 she’d signed her first modelling contract before moving to Milan to pursue a career in the industry.
For nearly a decade, Banks made a name for herself walking runway after runway until – whilst working in Japan with her mum by her side – she received a phone call.
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It was then Banks learned she was about to become an important part of history.
In 1997, Banks became the first ever African American model to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated solo, cementing her spot as one of the industry greats.
“I actually did know that it was a big deal. I knew that overnight my life would change,” Banks tells 9honey Celebrity at her SMiZE & DREAM ice cream shop launch in Sydney.
Banks had appeared on a joint cover of Sports Illustrated one year prior alongside Argentine model Valeria Mazza, but most of her work at that point had been in the high fashion industry.
Despite the success she’d found, Banks explains that working predominantly in high fashion meant that only people within that industry knew who she was.
But she knew that as soon as her solo Sports Illustrated cover was released to the world, all that would all change.
“I knew when that cover would happen that it would be household name status – it was surreal and strange for me,” she says.
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Once the magazine hit shelves, Banks attended the afterparty. She understood the gravity of what she had just achieved, but hadn’t yet processed it.
She recalls that during the event, a journalist asked her what it meant to become the first ever African American woman on the cover.
In that moment, Banks “just burst out crying”.
“It was actually a Black journalist, an African American journalist saying, “What does this mean being the first Black woman?’ I was just like… I just lost my mind,” she recalls.
The immense pride she felt made her realise how significant the moment was.
“I knew it was a big deal but looking back… I think it’s even bigger than I thought, actually.”
Now living in Australia, Banks has opened an ice cream shop in the heart of Sydney’s Darling Harbour called SMiZE & DREAM.
It’s made in honour of her beloved mother and the sacrifices she made, who also attended on the day.
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“My mum and I used to bond over ice cream in Los Angeles, driving to Hollywood Boulevard and going to the Häagen-Dazs shop and sitting in the car and having ice cream,” she explains.
“We would sit in that car and we would just dream. She would talk to me about sacrifice and how you get to your dreams and so when I created this ice cream company… I wanted to honour those moments in that car.”
Looking back, Banks explains that in “those moments”, appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated was something she had never even envisioned as possible.
“A lot of models said that they dreamed of that happening, but it’s hard to dream it if you can’t ever see it,” Banks explains.
“I never saw a Black woman on that cover, so I didn’t think it was possible for me.”
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In 2007, music icon Beyoncé became the second African American woman on the cover, followed by model Danielle Harrington in 2018.
“[Harrington] was the second Black model on the cover, and she said she dreamed it because she saw me on it,” Banks says.
“How amazing is that? I didn’t dream it. She did, and she worked really hard to make that happen for herself because she saw me.”
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