Lecture
Beauty panel: Industry disruption, representation, and 'Good Hair'
install view of Akinbola exhibition
When
Where

Beauty culture is a global phenomenon shaking up statistics, with Black communities at the forefront of hair, fashion, and beauty fascinations. According to NielsenIQ, Black consumers account for $9.4 billion spent on beauty products in 2023, yet Black-owned businesses remain underrepresented in the mainstream beauty landscape, often facing institutional resistance despite their trend-setting innovations. How do we bridge that gap? What does diversity add to this ever-growing industry? How can we answer the trite question, “what is good hair?”

Join the Evans Center for African American Studies and titans of the beauty industry, including legendary model, agent, and activist Bethann Hardison and Cosmopolitan beauty editor-at-large Julee Wilson as they unpack the intricacies of Black hair, socially embedded beauty standards, and steps toward representation.

Explore these themes further in the SCAD Museum of Art exhibition Good Hair, a solo exhibition by artist Anthony Olubunmi Akinbola who repurposes Black hair care products to interrogate the intersections of commodification and identity.

This event is free and open to the public. RSVP to [email protected].

About the Evans Center
Established in 2011, the SCAD Museum of Art’s Walter and Linda Evans Center for African American Studies celebrates the imaginative breadth and expressive legacy of African American art and culture. Through experimental public programs, immersive workshops, riveting lectures, and topical symposia, the Evans Center immerses students and community members in the rich tapestry of Black expression.