The wrongful deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd have stimulated global demonstrations and displays of unity against the oppression and police brutality faced by Black people for centuries. Many have taken to social media to raise awareness for the Black Lives Matter movement by sharing links to educational websites, as well as advice on where to sign petitions and donate to the cause. These resources have been vital in ensuring that support for Black Lives Matter is not just performative but leads to much needed and long over-due social and institutional change.

At times like this it falls on companies to be vocal and utilise their platforms with millions of followers to advocate for change, and the beauty industry is no exception. So, what are companies actively doing beyond the hashtags? Here are some of the fashion and beauty brands pledging financial support to the movement:

Glossier

One of the first cosmetics brands to get behind the Black Lives Matter movement, Glossier also pledged one of the largest sums of money. The American company revealed on Instagram that they will be donating a total of $1 million, with $500,000 split between Black Lives Matter, The NAACP Legal Denfense and Educational Fund, The Equal Justice Initiative, The Marsha P. Johnson Institute, and We The Protesters, and the other $500,000 to be given as grants to Black-owned beauty brands. Glossier also released a statement on their Instagram stories admitting ‘We don’t have any Black colleagues in leadership positions. This is not okay, and we are committed to changing this – becoming a more diverse and inclusive company at all levels.’

Charlotte Tilbury

Posting on social media, the luxury cosmetics company announced, ‘Charlotte Tilbury Beauty stands against racism, against inequality and against hatred.’ The British brand has pledged donations to American Civil Liberties Union, Black Lives Matter and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Another high-end beauty company promising finical support and internal changes is Anastasia Beverly Hills. The brand has donated $100,000 across Black Lives Matter, The Innocence Project, The NAACP Legal Denfense and Educational Fund, Black Visions Collective, and the Marshall Project. The Californian company has pledged a total of $1 million ‘towards the fight against systematic racism, oppression, and injustice.’

Urban Decay

The cosmetics company took to Instagram to inform its 11.3 million followers that the company would be donating to the Minnesota Freedom Fund and Black Lives Matter. Urban Decay updated its Instagram bio to read ‘Silence is not an option. Speak up.’ They have also provided a link to the Black Lives Matter website where people can access petitions, donation sites and keep up to date with the latest BLM news.

NYX Cosmetics

The first social media post shared by the LA based company simply stated, ‘It’s Not OK’, and was accompanied by a caption pledging funds to Black Lives Matter and the Minnesota Freedom Fund. A few days later the brand stated, ‘While we are proud of the diversity of our global team in Los Angeles, we know we still have work to do and commit to do better. This is a movement, not a moment in time. We stand with our Black community and we always will.’

Maybelline

Another high-street favourite, Maybelline, although slightly less vocal, announced on Instagram that they would be donating to NAACP saying, ‘At Maybelline we believe in inclusivity, equality and justice for all.’

FENTY

Rihanna’s fashion house FENTY announced it would be making donations to Color of Change, as well as Movement for Black Lives. The brand encouraged people to be active in their support for the cause, writing ‘We ask you to speak up, stand up, and pull up against racism and discrimination in all forms.’ In a later post, FENTY announced it would not be operating on Tuesday 2 June, labelled Blackout Tuesday, which saw people post black squares on Instagram to raise awareness for Black Lives Matter. The label stated, ‘The fight against racial inequality, injustice, and straight up racism doesn’t stop with financial donations and words of support…FENTY will NOT be conducting any business on Tuesday, June 2 – globally. This is not a day off. This is a day to reflect and find ways to make real change. This is a day to #PullUp.’

SAVAGE X FENTY, Rihanna’s lingerie line has also promised donations to Black Lives Matter Greater New York and The Bail Project.

ASOS

Online retailer ASOS have posted several statements in support of Black Lives Matter, the first stating, ‘Silence isn’t an option. We share the sorrow and outrage of the world over the grave injustice leading to the tragic loss of George Floyd’s life, along with Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and so many other Black lives.’ A few days later the fashion giant acknowledged the long-term importance of the movement, writing, ‘Following our initial post, we acknowledge this is not just a trending moment, but a catalyst for lifelong change.’ As well as donating an undisclosed amount to NAACP, ASOS like other brands has promised to reassess the company, ‘We will be examining every area of ASOS. From leadership to recruitment. From training to mental health support. From charities we back to partners we collaborate with. From brands we stock to businesses we invest in. From faces we feature to content we create.’

Pretty Little Thing

The online fashion brand Pretty Little Thing have dedicated a section of their website to ways in which people can support Black Lives Matter, linking petitions, donation sites, reading lists and watch lists. The company have stated that they have donated to the NAACP, as well as the families affected by the injustice. In addition to this, all proceeds from their collaboration with American rapper Saweetie will be donated to Black Lives Matter. A recent post on the brand’s Instagram page titled ‘We Will Do Better’ states ‘we are proud of our diversity and we acknowledge that we have embraced the Black culture across all aspects of our brand, however we admit we can and will do better and we commit to reviewing what we do.’ Pretty Little Thing have reassured customers they will make changes within, stating ‘To help us make the right moves, we will create a diversity board, made up of the people across our brands who are closest to the issues, to review our business and create a plan for change.’

The fashion and beauty industry must continue to raise awareness and financial support for the Black Lives Matter movement. As an industry that influences the masses and has no problem appropriating Black culture, it must now act in solidarity with the Black community while reassessing values, portrayals, and internal structures. There are vast improvements still to be made.

Check out our other articles on the #BlackLivesMatter Movement:

The Troubling Trend of Performative Activism

Police Brutality Amidst COVID-19: Does Racism Take a Break?

Stormzy Under Scrutiny: Is Freedom of Speech Conditional?