Duckie Thot Is The New Global Ambassador For L'Oreal Paris & We Stan
Call it the "Fenty Effect", but over the last year, makeup brand after makeup brand has stepped up and formulated increasingly more inclusive ranges of makeup for all skin colors, and I am here for it.
From CoverGirl adding 40 diverse foundation shades and employing Issa Rae as one of its faces, to Target adding 8 more inclusive makeup brands to cater to medium to darker skin tones, melanated beauties no longer have to shell out the big bucks to get the ultimate face beat. Another brand that wants to capitalize on the new wave of including everyone is L'Oréal Paris. And they picked the perfect global ambassador to do this: Duckie Thot.
If you don't know who Duckie Thot is by now, there is no doubt that you will be seeing a lot more of her in the near future. The 22-year-old Australian model of Sudanese descent made her debut when she finished in third place on the eighth cycle of Australia's Next Top Model. The mahogany-brown model decided to set her sights on the fashion world, moved to New York, and has since been on an upward trajectory that any up-and-coming model would envy.
Soon after she signed to New York Model Management, she made her runway debut in the Yezzy S/S '17 show. Then Rihanna came knocking, making her the face of Fenty Beauty and featured her in campaigns for FentyxPuma. She has also been featured in campaigns for Oscar de la Renta, Moschino, and Balmain, and appeared in the world-renowned Pirelli Calendar. The 5'10.5" stunner will also make her debut in the coveted 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
However, most notably Duckie is not afraid to use her platform to inspire and motivate her followers. She also uses her social media presence to speak out against discrimination in the modeling world. In the past, the model has even called out industry makeup artists for not carrying makeup to match her skin tone. She told the Evening Standard:
"I take my own make-up to shoots every time. I'll give the make-up artist the space and we'll shoot. If it doesn't look good, then we'll change to what I know works. If you're doing make-up on my skin, no one knows my face more than me. Growing up, make-up was ordered online, shipped from America or London. I found it difficult — I'm really, really dark: sometimes even the MAC shades weren't dark enough."
Well, it looks like she won't have to worry about that any longer. As L'Oreal's global ambassador, not only will she have the right shade to match her gorgeous dark skin, she will also get the opportunity to continue to shine a light on the need for brands to make products for all women. Duckie also says that one of her missions is to help young girls embrace and love the dark skin they are in. On being the newest ambassador for L'Oréal Paris, Duckie says:
"I'm honored to represent L'Oréal Paris, a brand that celebrates infinite ways to be beautiful and makes products for all women… I'm looking forward to helping more girls love the beauty of their dark skin. In my mind, I'm going back in time and telling the young girl I was: 'Dream big, work hard and trust in yourself girl, because one day you're going to say yes to the number-one beauty brand.'"
L'Oréal Paris is banking on her bold look AND her ability to deliver a strong message to the fashion industry. The brand recognizes the power of her voice and, no doubt, wants to make their brand the go-to makeup line for her 1 million followers and beyond. L'Oréal Paris Global President, Pierre-Emmanuel Angeloglou says:
"While emerging in a new generation of models, Duckie Thot knows how to use her voice to match the strength of her images...by speaking out, she has contributed to the redefinition of what [being] a model is. Her uplifting messages are shared to inspire her followers to love themselves."
What a time! The modeling world is becoming more and more diverse, and we live for this. Long gone are the days when we had to search far and wide just to see ourselves in magazines or in major ad campaigns. Inclusion is IT, and if you haven't gotten the picture by now, you are so far behind, we can't even see you.
Featured photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images
Michelle Schmitz is a writer and editor based in Washington, DC originally from Ft Lauderdale, FL. A self-described ambivert, you can find her figuring out ways to read more than her monthly limit of The New York Times, attending concerts, and being a badass, multi-tasking supermom. She also runs her own blog MichelleSasha.com. Keep up with her latest moves on IG: @michellesashawrites and Twitter: @michellesashas
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Rihanna Talks Shedding Expectations And Finding Balance As A Mother
Since becoming a mother in 2022, Rihanna has defined parenthood by her terms and hopes to pass that sense of autonomy on to her children.
For Vogue China’s April cover story, Rihanna shared her perspective on raising her two sons with A$AP Rocky, and how she hopes to preserve her children’s uniqueness, devoid of societal expectations.
"The most beautiful thing...is that [children] come into the world with their own individuality and sincerity, without any logic or conformity,” she told the publication. “Which usually makes you feel that you must fit into a certain group."
The “Work” artist, known for her trendsetting style and captivating persona, expressed her desire to support children in fully embracing their individuality and encouraging them to be whoever they want to be. "It's really beautiful to see and I want to continue to help them navigate that and make sure that they know they can be whoever they want to be,” she says.
She continues, “They should embrace it completely, because it's beautiful, and it's unique. I love them just that way."
From shattering music charts to shaking up the beauty industry, Rihanna has forged a path that has since created the “dream” life we see today. One that she says has made her parents proud of.
“I’m living my dream,” she continued. “My parents were very proud of that because they just wanted me to be happy and successful. So, I think the key thing is to find some kind of balance. Yes, balance is important. Do this and you get the best of both worlds. You can write your own life the way you want, and it will be beautiful. Sometimes, you just need to let go of everyone’s expectations and start living your own story.”
Rihanna, who shares sons, RZA, 23 months, and Riot, 8 months, with rapper A$AP Rocky, recently shared her vision for expanding her family in the future in Interview Magazine.
When stylist Mel Ottenberg asked about the number of additional children she hoped to have, Rihanna replied, "As many as God wants me to have.”
"I don't know what God wants, but I would go for more than two. I would try for my girl,” she adds. “But of course, if it's another boy, it's another boy."
Featured image by Neil MockfordWireImage