28 Days Of Black History: Meet Eunice Walker Johnson Founder Of Fashion Fair Cosmetics…

Fashion Fair is a subsidiary of Johnson Publishing Company which was created for women of color by Eunice W. Johnson, creator of Ebony Fashion Fair Show. Johnson took a risk that major cosmetic companies refused to take by entering the untapped market of makeup for women of color.

Eunice Walker Johnson was the wife of John H. Johnson, founder of Johnson Publishing Company (JPC) in 1942. JPC is the publisher of EBONY and JET magazines. In 1956, Eunice Walker Johnson launched the Ebony Fashion Fair Show, a traveling fashion show that raised over 55 million dollars for local charities.

During the Ebony Fashion Fair Show, Johnson noticed that models were mixing foundations to create the right blend to match their skin tones. Johnson approached existing cosmetics companies and urged them to create a line to meet the needs of women of color. When they refused she took matters into her own hands and developed formulas out of mixtures the models created.

Bold Lash Mascara

After successfully applying the makeup on the models in the fashion show, the Johnson’s produced The Capsule Collection, a mail-order package in 1969. Based on the overwhelming response, they saw the demand for a black cosmetics line.

Fashion Fair Cosmetics was born in 1973, named after the fashion show that inspired it. The line was strategically marketed in high-end department stores. The line offered skincare, fragrance, and hair care products that addressed black women’s needs.

Lip Teasers: Chocolate Raspberry

The Fashion Fair Cosmetics brand has become a trusted brand by many, and it remains deeply rooted in the African-American experience.

The brand’s focus remains dedicated to offering products, services, and education that address the unique complexion needs of women of color.

Check out Fashion Fair Cosmetics here

Sources: Fashion Fair, Johnson Publishing Company, Instagram

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