Legendary Naomi Campbell lands her ‘first beauty campaign’. Should we be jumping?

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Legendary Supermodel Naomi Campbell lands her first beauty campaign. But should we jump?

Naomi Campbell for Nars Cosmetics

(C) Nars Cosmetics

Legendary Model, Naomi Campbell to front Nars Cosmetics Radiance Repowered campaign to officially debut in January 2019. This was confirmed by the supermodel herself via her Instagram. Reminiscing how her friend, François Nars, the founder of NARS Cosmetics made her a foundation back in the days when there wasn’t any to match her tone.

I am definitely excited for Naomi for landing this job. However, a part of me is sad that this is the first time the 48 year old would front a cosmetic brand. I don’t know. Should we be jumping about it? One wonders why now? For so long major beauty brands have ignored women of Colour in their branding and product stocking. Until this year, Rihanna took the jump to bless us women of Colour with such lavish brand as Fenty. And boy! Did she break the market? Oh yes she did. And suddenly all other brands are waking up to remember to include women of Colour in their brand marketing and positioning. I think they purposely do this knowing we’re going to be jumping and singing and wanting to belong for the crumbles dropped for us. I mean, should Naomi have been a face associated with all major brands long ago? Isn’t it long overdue?

So, gone are the days when being the first black woman this, first black woman that meant a thing. Back in the day, Naomi was the first Black woman to appear on the cover of FrenchVogue in 1988, and then America’s Vogue in 1989. She’s been there several times. She’s broken glass ceilings, she fought for all of us even when we didn’t have an iota of idea what she was battling against. Against a cult of racist media and beauty industry which continuously branded her ‘that angry black woman’. But,  Naomi Campbell is a legend, a talent, a force to reckon with in the fashion world, and no one could break her. My only thing with her is she should have by now owned a huge beauty brand emblazoned with her name all over it instead of having to have me write of her being hired to front yet another brand to make the $ with her name.

It’s hard to believe that at a time when Fashion Fair Cosmetics, one of the pioneers to champion black women’s beauty is pushed out of the market, we’re here believing that Radiance Repowered campaign is here to eradicate lack of diversity in today’s beauty industry. It’s great to see our very own big sister fronting this campaign. But sisters, hold your breath and let it out. NARS Cosmetics has just woken up to join the cue to grab as much from this demographic just like any other big brand out there are scrambling too.

Ladies, there are now so many black beauty brands by our own black women. I rather have you go for these brands that took the lead to take care of us than these opportunists here to again push our sisters out of market.

As I wish supermodel Naomi all the best with the campaign, I want you to never believe this brand is the first or the authentic one to care for your shade. Don’t even bat an eye on that lie.

Please help me out with some brands that are truly for the us by us in the comment section. Use this opportunity to shout out your favourite brand, tag them, leave their links below.

Congratulations Naomi sis.

Faustina Anyanwu
Faustina Anyanwu
Faustina Anyanwu is a features writer focusing on people's stories, entrepreneurship, start-ups, social media marketing, and profiling. Follow her on Twitter - @fauntee Official Website: www.faunteebon.com Mantra: Real Women Think Legacy.

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