Challenge

On the heels of signing the “15% Pledge,” a public commitment to dedicating 15% of its inventory to products from Black-owned businesses, Sephora was on a mission to fundamentally change the beauty industry,
by not only creating space, but also by telling vital stories. 

Insight

With only 3% of brands at major beauty retailers being Black-owned, Sephora wanted to spotlight Black entrepreneurs, Black-owned brands
and the consumers they serve.  We spoke to over 250 historians, models, Black entrepreneurs, editors, makeup artists and more over 10 weeks to understand the history of the Black beauty industry and find the most salient and important stories among the rich pool of interviewees. 

Solution

As part of Sephora’s larger commitment to give Black culture the respect and position it deserves in the beauty community, we created the film
The Beauty of Blackness. 

Filmed over the course of 16 months by two Black women directors, the film chronicles the checkered past, present and future of Black Beauty
and calls attention to the historical and still persistent dearth of fashion
and beauty products made for and by People of Color.   

 At the center of the film is Fashion Fair - the legendary cosmetics brand started by Eunice Johnson, the founder of Ebony and Jet. Following its launch in the 1970’s, the brand would go on to revolutionize the beauty industry and become a household name for every Black woman in America. The company paved the way for a new generation of Black glamour—and in 2021, they returned to it again in partnership with Sephora. 

The film’s launch included 360 marketing efforts across digital, print,
and social, including help from influencer and singer Kelly Rowland on social channels.