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YSL knows that art is all about freedom of expression and there’s is no better way than this to celebrate one year of its Libre Eau de Parfum. Yves Saint Laurent is partnering up with ArtLeadHER an advocacy program that was founded in 2016 to empower women in the male-dominated art industry by Mashonda Tifrere a singer and an artist.
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Through this collaboration, YSL aims to support talented black women in the art industry as with each purchase of Libre Eau de Parfum, consumers will be able to donate as much as they wish for the cause of supporting black women in the art industry. Ali Ivanoff, the Director of Social Media Strategy for YSL Beauty stated, “Libre is an important pillar for the brand, but moreover, it’s a representation of freedom.” This is why YSL will be featuring commissioned artwork made by three talented Black female artists, Amani Lewis, Melissa Kolby, and Uzo Njoku, who are selected by Tifrere as they embody the freedom and individuality which is the essence of Libre Eau de Parfum. “These four women openly and authentically share their individual messages of freedom and gender expression through their art. We hope that this empowers women from varying communities to see themselves through this collaboration while highlighting the need for equality of women in the arts,” says Ivanoff.
All three rising artists will be reimagining YSL’s Libre Eau de Parfum and expressing what they feel about the world as a black woman in their artwork. The press release stated that Melissa Koby working away from Tampa addresses “social justice and racism in her artwork,” and her “ability to create art is her way of expressing when there are no words to express.” Living in Baltimore, Amani Lewis captures their city and its inhabitants,” and she has one goal for her artworks which is “to reimagine the mechanisms used by media, to deepen their subjects’ perspectives of themselves, their power, and the relationship to their surroundings,” says a press release. and Lastly, a famous Nigerian artist on Instagram as “UzoArt,” creates a cultural African jungle-themed artwork that centers a Black woman holding a champagne glass like a boss lady. Her work is inspired by her ability to look at the world “through the lens of her culture,” says the release. Their artwork is now featured on the YSL Beauty website, as they “Celebrate Libre, Celebrate Freedom” have a look!
