Many Black women were heartbroken when the best-selling lipstick from the Fashion Fair cosmetics line, Chocolate Raspberry, vanished from makeup counters. It has been a staple on bathroom cabinets and vanities for decades until the manufacturer filed for bankruptcy in 2018. The vivid magenta colour stood out against brown skin tones.

In an email to the New York Times, two-time Pulitzer-winning playwright Lynn Nottage said, "Fashion Fair loomed large in my household when I was growing up. It represented Black beauty and sophistication and was the first makeup I ever tried in the mirror."

But on an evening in June (2022), suddenly, the brand was relaunched by new owners at the Century Association in Manhattan.

Several important Black-owned businesses have lately made a comeback, including Fashion Fair. Many of these firms struggled to stay competitive and transition their operations into the next period, despite their success in the 20th century by focusing on and serving Black consumers while other brands refused to. Instead of creating brand-new companies from scratch, some Black businesswomen have recently shown an interest in reviving the histories of those companies.

Updates have been made to several of the vintage brands of late. In addition, many new owners have altered the packaging, marketing and production of businesses like Fashion Fair and Madam by Madam C.J. Walker, the black hair care oligarchy, to revitalize them.

Source: New York Times