011: Rihanna Radar & London Fashion Week

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 🗞️

We’re in the full swing of Fashion Month and we’re glad about it. Spending time in the creative expression of those fortunate enough to share it is a true privilege. Our team had a time attending shows and presentations, a few art exhibitions, and even a panel on the state of the beauty ecosystem.

We’re doing what we do best — contextualizing fashion and culture from diaspora creatives in the safe space of our reader-supported newsletter.

Thank you for coming back for another week!

DISPATCH 011 —

This week, we’re reflecting on the state of beauty with a founders discussion at Spring Place. Plus: breaking down a brand event, what’s next at London Fashion Week starting today, and sharing brand-new travel size trios to ensure self-care.

BEAUTY FOUNDERS SPILL

There has arguably never been a better time to be a beauty founder. For more established players, we’ve seen a few sizable exits on the haircare side, including Sundial Brands/Shea Moisture (sold to Unilever in 2017), Carol’s Daughter (sold to L’Oreal in 2014), Mielle Organics (sold to P&G Beauty in 2023), and Briogeo (sold to Wella in 2022) to name a few.

However, the same has yet to be seen within skincare and color cosmetics brands led by diaspora founders. A somewhat improved funding landscape as evidenced by emerging brands BREAD Beauty Supply and Topicals may be signs of good momentum to come as we head into 2024.

This week, we tuned into a conversation in New York hosted by esthetician Sean Garette, with fellow industry upstarts Dr. Chaneve Jenniton of epi.logic, Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye of Ami Cole, and Desiree Verdejo of Hyper Skin — all three brands launched in 2019 and have taken anywhere from zero to millions of dollars in venture funding — here’s a taste of the dialogue.

ON RAISING CAPITAL

N’Diaye-Mbaye: “In the very beginning, it was trying to convince people —customers and investors — that we deserved to exist. I have heard it all. During CoVID, everyone was pitching online as there were no in-person meetings. I would be sitting on Zoom all day with literally 150 investor meetings and by meeting 53, someone would say ‘maybe.’

We would be explaining the difference between [Ami Cole] and Fenty Beauty, Pat McGrath Labs, Fashion Fair Cosmetics, and Mented Cosmetics at the time. Debunking the myth that we look like one thing and we want one thing was a challenge.”

ON SECURING RETAIL

Verdejo: “Four years in, we are in Sephora, but there is still so much to learn. After being D2C for three years and figuring out those metrics, learning big box retail was a whole new beast that required new talent on our team, more money, and tweaking our packaging.

We have a great partnership with Sephora. They love indie brands and seeing them grow. At the same time, the success of your brand is based on how [the buying teams] see your brand, if they understand it, and if they know how to promote it. How do they mention your brand in emails? Do they gift your products to social media influencers?

On the flip side, it is always important to mention how much [retailers] expect of you — they want samples, testers, and a certain level of traffic to your product page. There is so much required and once you go into stores, [the requirements] only increase.”

ON FORMULATING WITH MELANIN IN MIND

Jenniton: “I’m interested in breaking down the walls in the clinical [category]. Clinical has always felt exclusionary and cold. It begs the question of who is this for. When we were doing clinical trials for our products, I was writing little notes in the margins [stating] ‘darker skin tones must be represented.’ The clinical testing center replied that they couldn’t run the tests as they did not have access to darker skin tones. It gave me pause. How do we create clinical standards that are more inclusive? How can I take it [beyond] what is in the product?”

This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

BREAKING DOWN A BRAND EVENT

With the onslaught of parties and presentations during NYFW, in many ways, it is an opportune time to sell clothes and make actual money. London-based Nicholas Daley took on the task to make a splash in the US with a brand event with Nordstrom alongside a few other newcomers.

Crucially, a retailer event brings both visibility and conversion; although often not without a cost. On the pros, consumers can connect IRL with the designer and the retailer has the chance to standout with an exclusive offer to entice shoppers in-store. Without knowing all of the terms, there were a few core elements that caught our attention.

First, Daley collaborated with The Griggs Brothers on a set of exclusive incense to celebrate the collection, Roots to Rebel. Daley’s Jamaican. The Griggs Brothers are Jamaican. Need we say more? Using scent as part of the ephemera can help to ground the brand’s ethos beyond the product itself. In its simplicity, it was the perfect collaboration for a site-specific partnership in New York.

Second, music came courtesy of Ayanna Heaven, whose DJ set of reggae and samba aligned with Daley’s cultural roots. As she performed, she was decked out in The Reggae Klub tee — a glowing endorsement. Since founding the brand in 2015, Daley has incorporated sound into his design practice through his explorations of reggae and calypso, so Heaven’s set was more than apropos.

Third, a co-sign from Nordstrom Menswear Fashion Director Jian Deleon doesn’t hurt. Nicholas Daley AW 2023 Collection is now available at Nordstrom.

LONDON FASHION WEEK / SEPT 15 - 19

New York has come and gone! London kicked off in a major way with Vogue World last night, where the celebrity-clad venue was replete with sophisticated and avant-garde fashions that absolutely rivaled the (other) red carpet event this past week. Here is what and who we’re waiting for this London Fashion Week —

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

— Mowalola Meet a renegade brand unveiling its fourth collection ‘crash’ for Spring / Summer 2024. Founded by Lagos-born, Central Saint Martins-trained Mowalola Ogunlesi, we’re expecting some hyper unconventional automobile alternative attire to shock the fashion system.

— Ahluwalia Held at the British Library, this SS24 show ‘Acknowledgments’ will no doubt leverage surplus and vintage fabrics that have buttressed the British label since founding in 2018. Indian-Nigerian designer Priya Ahluwalia is inspired by her London roots, celebrating the city’s offbeat sensibility.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

— Feben Their SS24 show ‘Temple’ will be hosted as part of NewGen, which is organized by the British Fashion Council. Closing out an incredible year, Swedish-raised Ethiopian founder Feben recently claimed the breakthrough designer of the year award by British ELLE. Plus: we penned something in her honor here.

ON OUR RADAR

Rihanna announced a return of her previously long-standing partnership with PUMA (following the announcement of the birth of her second child). It goes live today at puma.com and select retailers globally. Perhaps it bodes well for the return of her other fashion projects… (Link)

Tickets are now on sale for 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London taking place October 12 - October 15. (Link)

Congratulations are in order. Lagos Space Programme, Christie Brown, Ib Kamara, BOTTER, and Topicals are just a handful of those named as 2023 Vogue Business 100 Innovators. (Link)

Eadem unveils their first travel size collection of their cult favorites — meet the Bare-Skin Confidence Brightening Travel Trio. (Link)

In other beauty news, epi.logic launches their foundational trio featuring cleanser (True Calm), serum (Master Plan), and moisturizer (The Total Package). (Link)