10 Brands that Have Featured Vitiligo Models
Ten years ago, seeing models with vitiligo in the media and advertising was incredibly rare. Since then, the diversity and inclusion movement to show broader representation of race, ethnicity and yes, even skin conditions, has changed that story. In the past few years, brands like Gap, CoverGirl and Venus have all put those with vitiligo front and center in their advertising. More recently, vitiligo models are appearing in campaigns for more brands than ever before. And we’re here for it.
Here are just a few of the latest brands featuring models with vitiligo.
#1 Claire’s
Girls everywhere are finally getting to see themselves represented in ads by their favorite brands. Claire’s, a fashions and accessories brand for teens, recently featured April Star on the homepage of their website. And if April looks familiar, it’s because she was also the star of Gap’s 2017 Fearless campaign.
#2 Primark
Cozy and confident, this model for Primark shows off her spots in a January 2020 Instagram post. One commenter raved, “Incredible – keep it up… great way to continue bringing diversity to [fashion].” We couldn’t agree more. The trendy Irish clothing and homegoods store has locations all over Europe and opened its first U.S. store in 2015. In 2019, they also showcased British teen Kaiden Williams in one of their ad campaigns.
#3 Sheertex
Founded in 2017, Sheertex calls their tights the world’s strongest. They’ve been featured everywhere from CNN to Real Simple and Vogue. What really caught our eye? This model with vitiligo who’s been featured in their ads lately.
#4 Puma
Winnie Harlow knows how to go from chic to sporty. This former America’s Next Top Model contestant has come a long way since she appeared on season 21 of Tyra Banks’ hit reality show. Also known as Chantelle Brown-Young, the Canadian model has starred in several international ad campaigns and even walked the runway at New York Fashion Week. Now, she’s one of Puma’s newest ambassadors.
#5 Starbucks
Blink and you’ll miss it. Did you catch this moment in Starbucks’ Winter 2021 Do You ad? Coffee and representation? Yes, please. We hope to see even more from the Seattle based coffee chain in the future.
#6 Glossier
Makeup and skincare brand Glossier featured vitiligo model Daniele Lee in a 2020 campaign introducing the Body Hero line of products and in their New York Times ad. In the past, Glossier has featured vitiligo model Tia Jonsson. Talk about putting the “skincare first, makeup second” motto in action.
#7 Fendi
What’s better than landing a campaign for Fendi? Landing it with your best friend. Winnie Harlow poses with her longtime best friend Shannon Hamilton for the Italian fashion house’s 2020 “F is for Fendi” campaign. The sweet #Fisforfriends hashtag behind the campaign perfectly suits these besties.
#8 Pattern Beauty
Ads for Tracee Ellis Ross’s haircare line have featured models with vitiligo twice now, with Yvesmark Cherry appearing most recently. These models are embracing their spots and their curls. The Emmy-nominated actress and daughter of Diana Ross launched her natural hair care line for “curly, coily and tight textured hair” in 2019 and has been going strong ever since.
#9 Forever 21
Forever 21, a trendy favorite for fashion and accessories, has also featured several models with vitiligo on their Forever 21 Plus Instagram page. Darlene Texas (left) has appeared on the page several times as recently as March 2021. South African model Boitumelo Remetsi (right) has also been featured as an official ambassador for Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty line in 2020.
#10 NYX
See someone familiar? Makeup artist Lauren Elyse was recently featured in an ad for NYX Cosmetics. The makeup brand, used by professionals and everyday people alike, has long been applauded for its balance of quality and affordability.
#11 Urban Outfitters
We’ve seen vitiligo model Tia Jonsson featured by brands like Rag & Bone and Juicy Couture in the past. One thing that doesn’t change? We love the way she embraces the white streaks in her hair. Here, Tia poses for Urban Outfitters, a brand known for its streetwear fashion and lifestyle goods.
