The former model Beverly Johnson who I sat next to at the show was clearly impressed by the collection.

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The hour-plus-long film, which debuted this year at the Sundance Film Festival, features interviews with household names like Christie Brinkley, Beverly Johnson, Calvin Klein, Isabella Rossellini, Christy Turlington Burns and Cheryl Tiegs alongside industry pioneers such as Carmen Dell'Orefice, China Machado, Eileen Ford, Pat Cleveland and Bethann Hardison.

CNN: 'Supermodels' film reveals sometimes ugly side of beauty

Beverly Johnson, the first African-American woman to grace the cover of Vogue, appears in the film, as does another black beauty ("one-eighth African-American, " she clarifies in "About Face"): Cleveland, who spoke poignantly about being attacked in the racist South during her early days modeling with the Ebony Fashion Fair.

CNN: 'Supermodels' film reveals sometimes ugly side of beauty