Arthur L. McGee is considered the grandfather of fashion designers of color, pioneering the way for them to enter the Fashion Industry on seventh Ave. and to start their own companies through his example.

Mr. McGee mentored many young designers coming after him such Elena Braith (Aziza Braithwaite Bey), Willie Smith, and countless fashion design students at Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) (NY), Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA), College of St. Elizabeth (Morristown, NJ) and young designers in South Africa.

An exhibit at the Shirley Goodman Resource Center at F.I.T. in April 7 – May 1992 called “Tribute to the Black Fashion Museum,” featuring black fashion designers which included some of the most innovative designs by McGee including swim suits and wraps in African print and gowns in mud cloth. Fashion design students came from far and wide to study the ascetics and technology of these designers which included Arthur McGee.