Yara Shahidi has been announced as the new global brand ambassador for Dior. She’s a young, inspiring Black woman breaking barriers in the fashion industry, specifically luxury brands. She represents those little Black girls who have always wanted to be seen in the high fashion space but haven’t exactly been properly exhibited on the runways, in campaigns, or even in house. Her dedication to her craft, activism, and style have all grown exponentially throughout the years.
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The Harvard student has many accomplishments under her belt, including Dior’s International Women’s Day campaign earlier this year. The 21-year-old activist participated in the second installment of Dior Stands With Women. This event put a spotlight on actress Charlize Theron’s charity. The Charlize Theron African Outreach Project was founded by the South African-American actress in 2007. The organization connects community-based, African organizations to funding, capacity building, and broader resources. The charity specifically targets young people to educate them on HIV prevention. In her organization awareness video, Shahidi said, “What we know to be true is that so many young women aren’t given the space to be heard consistently, to feel as though people are genuinely taking the time to understand what they’re saying. And so when I go in to fight for what I believe is right, or what I believe is crucial to a certain project, I think there are many times that women- and it’s only exacerbated if you are a woman of color- tow the line between being viewed as assertive and driven or aggressive, my being driven and my being committed is not something to ever be ashamed of.” The statement alone shows that the Dior global ambassador’s mind is way ahead of her time. The same can be said regarding her fashion sense as well.
Yara has not only graced the world with her knowledge but with her incredible style. The Black-ish star has definitely evolved since her days when she was first introduced to us as the young Zoey Johnson at age 14. The Dior global ambassador has also expressed her adoration of the fashion world as her character Zoey Johnson in the spin-off of the show named Grown-ish. She continues her adaptation of the character Zoey as she adjusts to college life as a fashion-forward activist in the making. (Sounds familiar?)
The young star isn’t the only brain behind her incredible runway and personal looks. Well-known celebrity stylist Jason Bolden has been able to expedite Yara’s style evolution. His clients also include Taraji P. Henson, Mindy Kaling, Ava DuVernay, Amandla Steinberg, Zazie Beetz, Sasha Lane, Wiz Khalifa, and Tika Sumpter to name a few. Jason has also been recognized as one of Hollywood Reporter’s Top 25 Most Powerful Stylists. Her sense of style from the runway to the streets is both bold and ever-changing, just like their personal dynamic. “If it doesn’t make us laugh, then it doesn’t work”, Bolden says in this video describing his favorite looks on Yara.
The young woman has been recognized as one of the style icons of Generation Z. Her name has been mentioned among those like Zendaya and Billie Eilish. She was named one of Town & Country‘s 25 Black Style Icons That Are Seriously Inspiring and “shines with her individuality and fearlessness.” The young star has expressed her appreciation of style by saying,” Fashion is one of those places in which, when you’re wearing something that feels like a representation of you, it does create, in a matter of speaking, a space for you to exist. Even if it’s just in a two-inch radius of where you are. It’s a walking, personalized area in which you can live.” Congratulations again to the Dior global ambassador of beauty AND fashion, Yara Shahidi! The culture is proud of you! What are some of your favorite Yara Shahidi style moments?
