Before being an influencer became an occupation of sorts, we had people such as Black interior designer Cecil Hayes. She is one of many Black interior designers, but she has done an incredible amount of influencing through her many “firsts.”
Cecil Hayes is known throughout the interior design industry as a trailblazer. She was the first Black interior designer to be embraced in Architectural Digest. The elegance of her designs mirrors who she is as a person. Hayes was also named in Architectural Digest “AD 100.”; is considered one of the top designers in the world is quite an achievement.
In 1971, when Hayes enrolled in the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, she was one of the first Black students. She graduated in 1973, and wouldn’t you know it, at the top of her class. Hayes’s first job after graduating was by an interior design firm, where she gained her experience, and after two years, she went out and started her own business. Back in those times, this was a first.
Hayes gained fame for furnishing a 4,500 square foot home for a total of $1400, nothing less than a minor miracle. This action made her business increase quite a bit. Hayes’ clientele grew, and the budgets were much more significant.
Early in her career, Hayes became a member of the very prestigious American Society of Interior Designers. This membership gave her access to many resources such as flooring, furniture, and fabric that were usually only available to those high-ranking professionals.
Remember, this was at a time in history when a Black woman in interior design was unheard of; this was in a field that wasn’t customarily opened to black women. Yet Hayes found a way to flourish. She became one of the top 10 female interior designers in South Florida.
Cecil is the author of three books and the owner of Cecil’s Designs Unlimited in Coconut Creek, Florida.
Photo Credit: Architectural Digest
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