Patrick Starrr to Launch Makeup Brand, Why Black Beauty Supply Stores Aren’t Always Black-Owned

Plus, online retailer Shein faces criticism for selling an anti-Semitic necklace and Muslim prayer mats as decorative carpets.

These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Friday.

Beauty influencer Patrick Starrr announces forthcoming cosmetics brand
Patrick Starrr, in joint venture with incubator Luxury Brand Partners, will be launching his own color cosmetics brand, ONE/SIZE on July 17. It will make its debut at Sephora online and will be sold exclusively at all of the retailer’s stores across the U.S. and Canada, as well as in Sephora’s Instagram storefront. Starrr will reveal more details about the products and pricing via social media platforms, per WWD. In an interview with the publication, he said the line will champion inclusivity and be a celebration of “the drag queens, the LGBTQ+, my trans brothers and sisters.” {WWD}

Why Black beauty supply stores aren’t always Black-owned
“Of at least 9,000 shops specializing in Black hair care and cosmetics in the U.S., 3,000 are Black-owned,” writes Tobi Idowu for Business of Fashion, citing a statistic from a trade group called the Black Owned Beauty Supply Association (BOBSA). With systemic, exclusionary practices — including inadequate access to credit and open discrimination — that have been in place for generations to keep Black business owners from achieving success, Black entrepreneurs have been largely shut out of the lucrative Black beauty market. Some experts say increased attention, generational change and “new scrutiny on how Black people are treated at every level of the beauty industry” amidst civil rights protests may signal a turning point in this entrepreneurial injustice. {Business of Fashion}

Online retailer Shein faces criticism for selling anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim goods
Online fashion retailer Shein removed a “swastika pendant necklace” from its website after facing criticism from an advocacy organization called Stop Antisemitism, which noted the symbol “represents the mass murder of millions.” This controversy came less than a week after the retailer had come under fire for selling Muslim prayer rugs as decorative mats. {BuzzFeed News}

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Robin Givhan and Aurora James discuss the future of the 15 Percent Pledge
The Washington Post‘s Robin Givhan sat down (remotely) with Brother Vellies designer and 15 Percent Pledge founder Aurora James for a conversation about racism in fashion, the hypocrisy of corporate “Black Lives Matter” posts on social media and the future of the 15 Percent Pledge movement. The latter will include grants and programming to advance the campaign’s mission. {The Washington Post}

Mulberry ceases ready-to-wear and footwear production
British fashion label Mulberry will no longer produce women’s ready-to-wear or footwear and has not renewed its license with manufacturer Onward Luxury Group. It will instead focus on leather accessories, eyewear, jewelry and soft accessories, all of which account for the majority of its sales. {WWD}

Watch Chanel’s latest couture collection come to life
Filmmaker Loïc Prigent created a series of mini-documentaries about the creation of Chanel‘s Fall 2020 Haute Couture collection. The three short films, which are available on Chanel’s website, show what went into crafting the tweed, embroideries and evening dresses in the collection. You also see the garments go from the ateliers to the studio for fittings with designer Virginie Viard. {Fashionista inbox}

Lady Gaga is the face of a new Valentino perfume
Lady Gaga will serve as the face of Valentino Beauty’s new fragrance, Voce Viva, created by the label’s creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli. “Lady Gaga means freedom, self-consciousness, pure heart. Her participation in this campaign elevates the symbolic power of the project to the highest level,” said Piccioli via a press release announcing the news. “She is the icon of a generation. Her message of freedom, passion for art, self-consciousness and equality is the same our Valentino community stands for.” The campaign and the fragrance itself will be released in September 2020. {Fashionista inbox}

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