Alton Mason has ripped the runways of some of the biggest names in fashion – Tom Ford, Michael Kors, and Prabal Gurung are just a few. The multi-talented model, who was discovered on Instagram, started his career in theater, but dancing is his first love. Mason’s path led him to dance at the VMAs with P Diddy, star in the Louis Vuitton and Gucci campaigns, and make history as the first black male model to walk in a Chanel show, at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art last December. And he’s still only just at the beginning of his career. The best is yet to come, Alton!

Editor’s Note: In honor of Black History Month, we highlight some of the most influential forces in fashion, in no specific order. Their impact on the culture is undeniable – and we use this time to tip our hats off to their Black excellence.