An Unprecedented Partnership Between JCPenney and thirteen lune Brings BIPOC-Owned and Ally-Based Beauty to More People
By Melissa Magsaysay
Until recently, it was not uncommon to walk into a drugstore and see personal care aisles sorted into an endless row of neatly lined shampoo and conditioner, skin care and lotion, followed by an adjacent row labeled “ethnic”. This segregated approach to retail is antiquated and not so subtly others people of color to feel excluded from the larger beauty conversation - until now.
JCPenney, the nation's oldest retailer and no doubt a visionary in the future of how we shop and feel seen on shelves, has partnered with thirteen lune to reimagine what true inclusion looks like. Beginning now through the spring of 2023, the Texas-based retailer is rolling out a revamped version of their beauty offering, one that sees thirteen lune, the champion of BIPOC-owned beauty, as a significant aspect of their overall beauty concept.
“Inclusivity is core to JCPenney. We exist to celebrate and serve America’s diverse, working families which is why we are leading the charge to foster beauty inclusivity on a national scale,” says Michelle Wlazlo, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, JCPenney. “By creating a fully ownable beauty experience, JCPenney can quickly adapt and respond to our customers’ wants and needs. Last year’s preview launch allowed us to learn from our customers and evolve the JCPenney Beauty experience as it expands nationwide and online, making it unlike any other beauty retail experience.”
What started with 10 stores in 2022 will see 600 retail locations by spring 2023, with hundreds of BIPOC-owned brands including, Allies of Skin, Relevant: Your Skin Seen, EleVen by Venus Williams, Mintty Makeup, NCLA Beauty, and Vamigas, being carried. Now, more than ever, more people of color will feel seen, with their needs met and represented.
This retail partnership, one where an e-commerce platform works in concert with the most established brick and mortar store in the country, is the new face of retail, while also authentically implementing inclusivity at its core.
Shoppers across the country, from metropolitan areas to suburban sprawls will be able to access and support BIPOC-owned beauty that truly serves all skin and hair types. This new model is the way forward when it comes to what we know beauty to be: community and a way to see and honor different ethnicities and backgrounds.
This partnership sets the tone for what the future of retail can look like: one that serves its customer and creates a new paradigm for how beauty is seen, sold and celebrated.
October 21st 2022 kicks off the nationwide roll out of JCPBeauty locations. Thirteen Lune’s presence will climb from 10 to 600, starting with the stores below and skyrocketing from there. Be sure to visit your local JCPenney store to experience first-hand what the beauty of inclusion in real life is all about.
