Target’s forthcoming Beauty Studio is introducing over 1,600 new products, but has come under fire for showcasing just two Black-founded brands among its selection of 90 brands.
Brand Lineup at Beauty Studio Raises Questions About Representation
Slated for launch on September 10 in more than 600 stores as well as online, the Target Beauty Studio will feature a variety of brands, including a large number from Korea, Japan, Mexico, and France. However, out of the 90 brands included, only Briogeo and Glamazon Beauty are confirmed as Black-founded. Over two-thirds of all brands are making their debut at Target with this initiative, which replaces the previously existing Ulta Beauty shop-in-shops and aims to offer a curated collection of international beauty trends.
The Beauty Studio’s assortment has drawn scrutiny from both Black brand owners and industry experts, who are asking whether Target took active steps to include more Black-owned businesses in its roster, or if such brands opted out themselves. The company clarified that this assortment is just a portion of their entire beauty range in stores and online, but the focus on this highly publicized launch has heightened questions about representation.
A spokesperson from Target stated that about 40% of the chosen brands were started by “diverse” founders, though no specifics were disclosed about what qualifies as “diverse.” According to Target, the number of Black-founded brands is similar to previous in-store brand breakdowns, and the assortment aims to provide options for many different skin tones.
Further highlighting its overall direction, Target declared, “Getting back to growth starts with investing in the categories and experiences where Target is uniquely positioned to win, all through our distinctive combination of style, design and value.” The company also assured that more brands and products would be introduced as the year progresses.
Black-Owned Brands in the Spotlight
Of the two Black-founded companies included, Briogeo was founded by former Goldman Sachs executive Nancy Twine in 2013. According to Briogeo, Twine made history as the youngest Black woman to launch a line at Sephora, and in 2022, she sold the brand to Wella for a reported nine-figure sum. Neither Twine nor Briogeo has publicly commented on being part of Beauty Studio.
Glamazon Beauty, the other Black-founded brand featured, was started by Kim Baker, who is both CEO and creative director, in 2017. Baker, a well-known celebrity makeup artist, still owns the majority of the company. She expressed appreciation for her partnership with Target, saying, “Target has been a dream retailer for me for many years, and from the beginning of our partnership, I’ve felt seen, heard and supported,” though she clarified that she was not personally involved in the product selection process for the Studio.
However, concerns linger among some Black entrepreneurs and activists regarding the declining profile of Black-owned businesses at Target stores. Reports have surfaced about certain Black-owned brands being quietly eliminated from shelves, along with ongoing issues in stock management, gaps in communication, and decreased focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion over the past year.
Last year, Target wound down several of its DEI initiatives, including its three-year diversity goals, concluded the Racial Equity Action and Change programs, ended participation in external diversity benchmarking like the HRC’s Corporate Equality Index, and altered the branding of its “supplier diversity” team. Still, the retailer insists that it delivered on its 2021 pledge to invest $2 billion in Black-owned businesses and that a “majority” of new partners remain. In May, Target noted that it currently stocks hundreds of Black-owned brands—twice as many as in 2020—and pointed to continued partnerships with Black creators and designers.
Push for Deeper Commitments from Major Retailers
Since 2020, retailers including Ulta Beauty and Sephora have answered calls for stronger inclusion by joining the Fifteen Percent Pledge, promising that Black-owned businesses will receive 15% of purchasing power—a figure that reflects the Black and mixed-race share of the U.S. population. These companies have also launched accelerator and grant programs to lift underrepresented brands.
Lola Bakare, a marketing consultant, noted that only 2 out of 90 brands—around 2%—represented in the Beauty Studio are Black-founded. “I think the average consumer might be glad there are two, but what we also know is that they can do so much better,” she said, suggesting that Target should consider following the Fifteen Percent Pledge example.
Advisors such as Danyail Lawton and Christy Pruitt-Haynes have called for Target’s executive team to clarify its evolving DEI strategy. Lawton remarked that the lack of transparent communication breeds doubt, and Pruitt-Haynes recommended that Target issue open invitations to marginalized founders to rebuild trust and reverse potential customer loss.
The issue has taken on new urgency after Target withdrew a controversial children’s Halloween costume and issued a public apology, stating, “The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our assortment.”
As Target introduces the Beauty Studio with a wide array of new items, the underlying conversation around retailer responsibility and equitable representation continues. With rising consumer awareness, expectations are mounting for large chains to support Black entrepreneurship and ensure their offerings reflect the diversity of those who shop their stores.