Brand Power for Good: Sephora, ASOS and the LGBTQ+ Community

Clothing and beauty brands often use their influence to promote their brand message, but in the past few years, they have taken a strong stance to advocate for equality for all people. As LGBTQ pride month approaches in June, brands like Sephora and ASOS are erasing gender lines to include all customers.

This week, Sephora announced they are launching “Bold Beauty for the Transgender Community” next month, a complimentary 90-minute class for people transitioning and those who identify as transgender or non-binary. These interactive workshops will help go beyond color-matching to help people gain confidence through makeup application.

In a press release, Sephora’s Head of Social Impact and Sustainability said: “At Sephora, we believe beauty is yours to define, and ours to celebrate.”

Another brand who’s on board with using its power for good is ASOS. The global fashion brand partnered with GLAAD in November to release a gender-neutral capsule collection with part of the proceeds benefitting the LGBTQ+ rights organization’s Together campaign. And this week, half of the collection is on sale!

The eight-piece unisex collection includes jersey basics and accessories with GLAAD’s colorful ampersand logo (&) and “UNITY” splashed across. While the clothes and graphics are simple, but the message is a silent protest against systems and figures of oppression.

All items are priced between $13 and $48 and go straight to the Together campaign. GLAAD’s Together Movement aims to unify marginalized groups to “create a more inclusive culture and achieve collective liberation”, according to the campaign’s website.

It’s great to see Sephora and ASOS use their brand power to create more products and initiatives to make all consumers feel invited.