Tag: women of color

Estée Lauder names Adut Akech as Global Brand Ambassador

Cold Cream 'n' Roses

Back in the 1980s, Estée Lauder’s brand ambassador was Willow Bay, now Dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Paulina Porizkova replaced Willow Bay as Estée Lauder’s brand ambassador, and subsequently, Elizabeth Hurley became Estée Lauder’s brand ambassador.

In other words, it took Estée Lauder years to recognize women of color. Now it has signed fashion model Adut Akech, who was born in South Sudan. Her first campaigns will debut next month, in July 2021.

Adut Akech for Estée Lauder
Adut Akech for Estée Lauder

I am convinced that some models create an archetype for upcoming models. I think that Alek Wek, who is also from what is now South Sudan, is the archetype for Adut Akech.

Source:

Lauder, E. (2021). Estée Lauder Signs Acclaimed Model Adut Akech as New Global Brand Ambassador. Prnewswire.com. Retrieved 21 June 2021, from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/estee-lauder-signs-acclaimed-model-adut-akech-as-new-global-brand-ambassador-301305265.html.

#TBT vintage African-American beauty ads

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Time was that African-American women had to turn to ethnic beauty brands to meet their needs. Even as recently as the 1990s, Revlon and Maybelline has created lines especially for African-American women. Here are other blasts from the past:

Flori Roberts Cosmetics makeup artist demonstrating products to women, Los Angeles, 1970.
Flori Roberts Cosmetics makeup artist demonstrating products to women, Los Angeles, 1970.

Do you know that Flori Roberts is a white woman? She later developed Dermablend corrective concealer.

Today, Flori Roberts cosmetics are sold through Color Me Beautiful’s direct selling and mall kiosks.

Posner ad from Ebony Magazine, October 1965
Posner ad from Ebony Magazine, October 1965

Posner Cosmetics was introduced in the 1940’s.  I’ll occasionally find Posner cosmetics at drugstores, but not a comprehensive selection.  Posner’s web site features online shopping.

Zuri ad in Ebony, 1980
Zuri ad in Ebony, 1980

I haven’t been able to find out much about Zuri. I found miscellaneous products at Dollar General years ago. You may shop Zuri at Texas Beauty Supply and House of Beauty (note: not an endorsement, I’ve never shopped these places).

Aretha Franklin for Fashion Fair
Aretha Franklin for Fashion Fair

Here a svelte Aretha Franklin serves as a spokeswoman for Fashion Fair.

Dorothea Towles Church for Maybelline
Dorothea Towles Church for Maybelline

Dorothea Towles Church was the first Black Maybelline model to appear in Ebony Magazine in 1959.