When we think of girls who represent #BlackGirlMagic, one of the first girls that comes to mind is Willow Smith, who is a prime example of a new generation of carefree Black youth who are pushing the boundaries of what Black kids have historically been expected to do. And with such a strong cultural impact, it came as little surprise that a fashion house like legendary Chanel would want to select Smith for their fashion campaign. And in a new video, Smith explains why her role as a brand ambassador for Chanel is so important for young Black girls across the globe.
According to media reports, Smith recently spoke about her role at Chanel and explained that she was amazed that Chanel would choose her to represent their brand because she’s a young Black girl with locks. However, she explains that she represents a community of young girls that need to see themselves in mainstream fashion world.
“It’s not every day that a 15-year-old Black girl with dreads gets elected to be the Chanel ambassador,” she said. “I know a lot of girls that look like me feel that they’re not beautiful and feel like they don’t have a place in the media or a place in the world.”
Smith explained that too often the mainstream media and fashion world either ignores Black girls or treats them as if they’re not beautiful enough to be the star or the face of a campaign and that she’s happy to be helping young Black girls see their beauty and see their worth.
“I want them to know that’s not true, and if you’re confident and you love yourself then everything you see, your perception, will start to change and you’ll see things differently,” Smith continued. “I want to show those girls that might not think they’re beautiful but they are.”
We’re excited for Smith and we agree that many Black girls are going look at her campaign and not only feel like they are beautiful too, but also feel empowered as strong Black girls as well.
