Like most of us, Jatavia Shakara Johnson, better known to the world as JT, grew up with KISS Colors as a household name. From press-on nails and lashes to professional hair straightening tools, KISS Products have proudly been part of every Black woman’s beauty must-haves in their bathrooms and bedrooms for years, and now the Miami native has become their latest brand ambassador while being one of half of the chart-topping femcee duo known as City Girls.
“I'm a big fan of KISS. I think we all are and we grew up [on it]. It was always in a beauty supply store or Walgreens. It was always a quick go-to. You always see it. It's always there for you. KISS, even now with your nails, it's just there for you. So when I heard about them doing partnerships and stuff, I was interested in doing it,” JT excitedly told xoNecole correspondent Sha Ravine during her official New York Fashion Week launch event.
Decked in Acne Studios while sporting a Hermes Kelly bag and fresh jumbo braids, the “Act Up” rapper revealed that the girls can expect “a whole lot of motherfucking laid edges” from this forthcoming collaboration, which was made possible thanks to the brilliant minds of Harp Media & Creatives.
“I just felt like she'd be a perfect fit. It was around the time that [she] and Yung Miami had started to venture off and do their own solo projects, and I just wanted to have the opportunity of trying to get JT her first major brand deal - and we did,” Whitney Harper, founder of Harp Media & Creatives, exclusively told xoNecole. The multifaceted Beauty and Style Creative Director’s style concierge and agency work has expanded across the entertainment industry from Glorilla and Yung Bleu to Coi Leray and her very own niece Saweetie, who also had her own KISS Colors & Care collaboration.
Whitney Harp.
Photo courtesy of Harp Media & Creatives.
But now, with a goal to level the playing field between Black and brown women and mainstream beauty and fashion campaigns, she is securing a top spot for the “Pussy Talk” raptress with a major beauty retailer while dismantling the notion that all representation in the beauty industry equates to diversity.
“JT being the face of Kiss Colors & Care is a big deal. It's bigger than any of us - it’s the beginning of so much more,” Abesi Manyando, owner of Abesi PR and public relations expert for Harp Media and Creatives, told xoNecole. In an effort to put more women who “look like us” at the forefront of endorsements and securing branding dollars, Harper and Manyando are passionate about the monetization of personal brands and social media leverage to translate representation into streamlined income for Black and brown women.
Manyando continued, “Oftentimes, Black women set beauty and fashion trends but get erased from profiting from that or being the face of major campaigns. Many times [marketing executives and brands] fulfill the diversity box by inserting what they call 'ambiguous' models who can appeal to all audiences. This is erasure. Whitney and I are trying to dismantle this in media, beauty, and marketing.”
And Whitney's partnership between JT and Kiss Colors & Care is one of the first steps. Included in the launch with JT’s ambassador debut are products such as the KISS Colors & Care Braiding Gel Maximum Hold and Braiding Gel ($8.99), KISS Colors & Care Locking Gel Regular Hold and Locking Wax ($8.99), KISS Colors & Care Twist Curl Gel ($8.99), KISS Colors & Care Foam Mousse ($7.99), Care Edge Fixer Wax Stick ($9.99), and the Reversible Premium Crepe Satin Bonnet ($8.49).
When asked what inspired JT to expand her portfolio outside of music and entertainment and into the chaotic world of fashion and beauty, she promptly responded, “I’m pretty.”
She followed with a light laugh and added to her initial answer. “No, I’m just joking. I want to be more into beauty because I'm obsessed with beauty. Like my make-up artist will tell you, my hair stylist will tell you, I'm very hands-on with them. God knows, they know I know how I want my make-up to look [and] I know exactly how I want my hair to look.”
Attesting to her passion for creativity and beauty, Harper chimed in on how hands-on her client was during the process from ideation to product placement. “JT is a very hands-on person. I don't care who you are; she's hands-on. She's a creative in her own right. She knows what she wants. She knows what looks good, and you really can't blame her.”
While JT’s undeniable stage presence and effortless beauty, as demonstrated through her viral Paris Fashion Week runway slay, would make her the obvious choice as the face of any beauty brand, there was something uniquely special about this partnership that embodied empowerment, self-expression, and trendsetting individuality in its entirety.
“Fighting with brands to give the talent what they want is extremely hard. But my company makes it happen,” Harper said about the deliverables and approvals that go into a brand endorsement deal. “KISS is a brand, JT is a brand, and for me, it's important that it is an equal amount of representation for each person. I don't mind because my main goal is to make sure all of my clients are happy.”
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Feature image courtesy of Harp Media & Creatives.
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Here are some of my favorite takeaways from three standout panels featuring Jordan Chiles, Marsai Martin, and Kandi Burruss.
Leveling Up Your A-Game with Jordan Chiles, Morgan Shaw Parker, Chelsea Fishman, Laura Correnti, and Tabitha Turner-Wilkins
Jordan Chiles
Paras Griffin/ Getty Images for Power Play
Olympic gymnast Jordan may have medals and magazine covers to her name, but her mindset is refreshingly grounded. “The day I finally feel pressure,” she said, “will be the day I know there’s still more for me to learn.” For her, joy—not pressure—is the fuel. Her confidence isn’t performative; it’s rooted in family, self-worth, and authenticity.
“Everything I’ve done in my career—tattoos, long nails, rocking my crew at the Olympics—that’s all me. It’s not because someone told me to do it. It’s because I felt confident doing it. And that’s where my ambition comes from: being my authentic self.”
For Morgan Shaw Parker, President & COO of the Atlanta Dream, the conversation around pressure went even deeper. “Legacy work” is how she described her mission—navigating male-dominated spaces, sometimes pregnant and pumping on NFL team planes. “After COVID and George Floyd,” she shared, “it became clear to me: vulnerability is power. You don’t have to show up perfect to lead.”
Chelsea Fishman, founder of Atlanta's first bar dedicated to women’s sports, Jolene Jolene, shared how the haters (especially the Reddit kind) were her confirmation: “All those comments saying it would fail—those were the signs that I was doing something right.” She’s hosted 25+ watch parties already and is building the very community they said would never come.
This panel also touched on ambition, authenticity, and owning your power—both in sneakers and in suits. One of the best mic-drop moments came when the moderator flipped the question: “What if we stopped making ‘power’ a bad word for women?” A nod-worthy reminder that we’re not here to play small.
Making Your Voice Heard with Marsai Martin, Carol Martin, Miss Milan, and Heather McMahan
Marsai Martin
Paras Griffin/ Getty Images for Power Play
This panel was a masterclass in staying grounded while growing up—or glamming up—on the global stage. Actress and producer Marsai talked about what it’s like to show up in high-pressure moments when your confidence is low but the world is still watching. From red carpets to long shoot days, she reminded us that even when you’re not at 100%, you still find a way to push through.
“There have been days where I wasn’t feeling the best, but I still had to show up on this carpet. Or it was that time of the month, but I still had to go on set. I just didn’t feel as confident—but it’s about how you take care of yourself in those moments and still keep pushing.”
Her mom and business partner Carol Martin dropped gems about motherhood and mentorship: “It’s like teaching your kid to ride a bike over and over again. Now the bike is a movie or a brand.” That balance between guiding and letting go? Not easy—but essential when you’re raising a mogul and running a company.
“There have been days where I wasn’t feeling the best, but I still had to show up on this carpet. Or it was that time of the month, but I still had to go on set. I just didn’t feel as confident—but it’s about how you take care of yourself in those moments and still keep pushing.”
Miss Milan, Grammy Award-winning DJ and Doechii’s right-hand woman, lit the crowd up with her no-nonsense energy. “I built my own table,” she said. “When you build it, they can’t tell you you can’t sit.” From journaling her dreams to manifesting Grammys, her story is one of resilience and intention—and a whole lot of faith in her own vision.
This panel didn’t shy away from hard truths either: the sadness that can come with success, the fear of fading relevance, the criticism that hits differently when it’s personal. But Marsai said it best: know your why. And let it evolve with you.
The Cost of Starting Your Own Business with Kandi Burruss and Nikki Ogunnaike
Kandi Burruss
Carol Lee Rose/ Getty Images for Marie ClaireKandi doesn’t sugarcoat the grind. From chart-topping songwriter to multi-business entrepreneur, she’s built her empire one risk—and one reinvention—at a time.
“Fear equals failure. If you don’t even try, you’ve failed automatically —and you did it to yourself. I’d rather take a risk and lose money than play it safe and never know what could’ve happened.”
She broke down the real costs of entrepreneurship: money, time, and emotional bandwidth. “You think you’re going to work less when you work for yourself?” she laughed. “You’re going to work more.” For Kandi, mommy guilt and financial setbacks are part of the package—but so is the satisfaction of seeing an idea through.
She opened up about scaling back on her clothing store and temporarily closing the original Old Lady Gang location. “It felt like failure,” she admitted, “but sometimes you have to step back to make things better.” Still, she’s not one to quit. She just pivots—with precision.
One of her most memorable reflections? How her music career hiccup led her to songwriting—ultimately writing the mega-hit “No Scrubs.” That song became the key to a new lane and legacy. “You may think you’re working on one dream,” she said, “but it could open the door to another.”
Also? Kandi wants you to stop emailing her from a Gmail. “You’re doing million-dollar business on a bootleg budget,” she joked. “Invest in yourself. Start with a domain name!”
The Marie Claire Power Play Summit was a powerful reminder that ambition, authenticity, and vulnerability aren’t separate traits—they work in tandem. Whether you’re building a bar, a brand, or a business from scratch, the key is to stay rooted in your voice, your story, and your why.
And if you need a sign to go for it? Consider this your green light.
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Feature image by Paras Griffin/ Getty Images for Power Play