power

beauty harbors a quiet power— seldom acknowledged, rarely cited, often misunderstood. she is Black, prestigious, discerning, and ever-present, silently shaping its contours with precision.

For years, I have questioned the portrayal of Black beauty.

The monotony, the expected visual narratives, the perpetuation of stereotypes, the absence of a prestige factor, and perhaps most troubling, the notion that our presence is exclusively “for us, by us.”

15 years of my professional life have been dedicated to the craft of brand strategy. I’ve held the privilege of defining beauty, shaping its identity, granting it a new position, cultivating messaging, and penning stories that resonate globally.

My journey spans the creation of countless beauty brands across every prestige category, from inclusive luxury skincare to culturally-inspired fine fragrance to French heritage makeup. Vogue, Elle, Allure, and Forbes have recognized my words, and their power has influenced the success of many emerging brands inside the #1 prestige beauty retailer in the world.

And yet, I do not have a definitive answer as to whether the industry has a grasp on who or what shapes the new, now, and next.

The science behind this discovery is my field of study. I have become intimately aware of the force that drives culture, trends, product innovation, and consumer expectations in beauty.

An interplay of data and collective consciousness reveals the answer …

It is Black & Prestige: the consortium of brand founders, ambassadors, and discerning beauty aficionados that form one of the industry’s most potent power structures.

I have witnessed the force, who for the past four years has amassed a buying power of $1.6 trillion, catalyze essential shifts in luxury brands’ responses in 2020 just as potently as it has ignited new cultural relevance for local, national, and global beauty retailers. It has redefined product development imperatives over the past decade, establishing new paradigms in color cosmetics and luxury skincare, influencing even the adjacent realms of fashion and technology.

Today, Black & Prestige guides makeup artistry (Sheika Daley) and global ambassadorship (Joy Sunday) at Lanc?me, the epitome of French luxury. They steer Allure Magazine (Jessica Cruel), the authoritative voice of beauty, shaping generational thought patterns far beyond aesthetics. Pat McGrath, a beacon of this structure, seamlessly bridged artificial intelligence and real-life artistry in her signature porcelain doll makeup looks for Maison Margiela’s 2024 Artisan Collection, inspiring countless reinterpretations across races and creative spectra.

On the independent brand front, Malaika Jones and Nia Jones of Brown Girl Jane have opened new doors in the fine fragrance market, becoming the first non-celebrity Black-owned fragrance brand to grace Sephora’s shelves. Dr. Chaneve Jeanniton of epi.logic is changing the face of clinical with an uncommon level of precision that centers skin of color.

Karen Young’s Oui the People offers a reconstitution of beauty through prestige bodycare that champions self-complexity and challenges the allure of perfection—a sentiment valued by even the most assured among us. Inherent in its identity is a bridge to Guyanese culture and generational beauty rituals, which has proven attractive beyond the "Black market."

Most strikingly this year, Black & Prestige has harmonized the Western aesthetic, blending attitude, style, and beauty into an indelible presence across American cities.

The chronicles of our influence are vast, yet seldom celebrated, cited, or fully grasped.

My ambition is to change that.

In the process, I hope to elevate the perception and portrayal of Black beauty.

I acknowledge that a window into this power structure may not be for everyone. I also recognize that there are those in our industry - of all races - who are familiar with Black & Prestige’s force and the undeniable demographic shift toward her new majority in America. And I believe (because I have to) that executives and creative practitioners with ranking power have a vested interest in increasing their intellect on this subject.

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Each month, you can expect thought-provoking consumer insights, behind-the-scenes perspectives from my work, and category-shifting case studies told through the lens of today’s most diverse clientele.

This is not a DEI diatribe, nor is it an extended feature of Black-owned brands; this is an editorial dissection of the influential dynamics behind a rarely spotlighted power structure in beauty I call Black & Prestige.

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xx