THE BEAUTY OF BLACKNESS: RESURRECTING FASHION FAIR, AN AMERICAN BEAUTY ICON (2022)
DIRECTORS: TIFFANY JOHNSON, KIANA MOORE
CASTING DIRECTOR: DAMIAN BAO (MODELS & CELEBRITY BRAND AMBASSADOR CASTING)
PRODUCED BY VOX CREATIVE, VENTURELAND, AND SEPHORA.
ORIGINALLY FOUNDED IN 1973 BY EUNICE JOHNSON OF EBONY AND JET MAGAZINE FAME, FASHION FAIR REVOLUTIONIZED THE BEAUTY WORLD WITH FORMULAS AND SHADES MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR WOMEN OF COLOR. THE BRAND CREATED MAKEUP FOR BLACK WOMEN BY BLACK WOMEN AT A TIME WHEN MOST COSMETICS COMPANIES LARGELY PRETENDED THEY DIDN’T EXIST. THE FILM SPOTLIGHTS THE COLORISM AND INEQUITY OF THE COSMETICS INDUSTRY AND EXPLORES FASHION FAIR’S RAPID RISE, ENDURING LEGACY, AND EVENTUAL HIATUS—AND HOW TWO BLACK WOMEN ARE BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO THE ICONIC BRAND IN COLLABORATION WITH SEPHORA. NOW, ALMOST 50 YEARS LATER, THE BRAND IS BACK AND COMMITTED TO CARRYING ON THAT RICH LEGACY. THE BEAUTY OF BLACKNESS: RESURRECTING FASHION FAIR, AN AMERICAN BEAUTY ICON, HONORS ITS RETURN AND CAPTURES THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES STORY OF DEDICATION, LOYALTY, AND LOVE ON ITS ROAD TO RELAUNCH.
FILMED OVER THE COURSE OF 16 MONTHS BY TWO BLACK WOMEN DIRECTORS, THE BEAUTY OF BLACKNESS FEATURE-LENGTH DOCUMENTARY FILM EXPLORES THE HISTORY OF BLACK COSMETICS BY FOLLOWING THE RELAUNCH OF ONE OF THE LARGEST, MOST IMPORTANT BLACK-OWNED BEAUTY BRANDS OF THE 20TH CENTURY — FASHION FAIR.
SEPHORA WAS ON A MISSION TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY, BY NOT ONLY CREATING SPACE BUT ALSO BY TELLING VITAL STORIES. ON THE HEELS OF SEPHORA SIGNING THE “15% PLEDGE,” A PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO DEDICATING 15% OF ITS INVENTORY TO PRODUCTS FROM BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES, SEPHORA WANTED TO GIVE BLACK CULTURE THE RESPECT AND POSITION IT DESERVES IN THE BEAUTY COMMUNITY.
AWARDS:
- TRIBECA X FINALIST AND WINNER IN THE FEATURE FILM CATEGORY AT THE 2022 TRIBECA FESTIVAL
- WINNER OF THE 2022 NYFA SEEHER LENS AWARD
- AWARDED GOLD FOR VIDEO: DOCUMENTARY AND PLATINUM FOR VIDEO: BEAUTY & COSMETICS AT THE MUSE AWARDS
- WINNER OF FASHION + BEAUTY AND RACIAL EQUALITY AND AWARDED BRONZE FOR BRANDED CONTENT AT THE SHORTY IMPACT AWARDS
- WINNER OF VIDEO – FASHION, BEAUTY & LIFESTYLE AND AWARDED PEOPLE’S VOICE WINNER IN ADVERTISING, MEDIA & PR – FASHION, BEAUTY & LIFESTYLE AT THE WEBBY AWARDS
- AWARDED GOLD FOR DE&I: FOR PROFIT AND SILVER FOR DE&I: BRANDED CONTENT AT THE ANTHEM AWARDS
- AWARDED BRONZE FOR FILM: FIVE MINUTES AND OVER AT THE CLIO AWARDS
- AWARDED BRONZE FOR BRANDED CONTENT: TV/CINEMA – BEAUTY AND BRANDED CONTENT: ONLINE FILM – BEAUTY AT THE LONDON INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
- AWARDED BRONZE FOR MOTION/FILM DOCUMENTARY AND SHORTLISTED FOR CRAFT IN MOTION/FILM DIRECTION AT THE ADC AWARDS
- SHORTLISTED FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION AT THE CAMPAIGN BRAND FILM AWARDS
- SHORTLISTED FOR BRAND PURPOSE AT THE CAMPAIGN POWER OF PURPOSE AWARDS
- MERIT FOR BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT: FULL-LENGTH VIDEO AT THE ONE SHOW