From T. Swift’s spring Keds collab to Kendall and Kylie’s much-anticipated summer Topshop line, celebrity + brand partnerships are nothing we haven’t seen before. While there is a star connected to just about every major label nowadays, we got super excited when we discovered Urban Decay and Gwen Stefani’s new collaboration, which takes this popular sort of partnership to a more impactful level.
The pop icon has teamed up with Urban Decay to help launch a new global initiative called Ultraviolet Edge. Similar to Shakira’s UNICEF baby shower, the partnership blends celebrity popularity and charity into one giant fundraising masterpiece. Ultraviolet Edge aims to raise funds for a variety of organizations that work toward empowering and supporting women through the sale of limited-edition products. The first item up for grabs is the Enigma Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($20) – 100% of the profits from this product go directly to the brand’s cause.
Urban Decay plans to support multiple organizations with this new initiative, but first up is the Women’s Global Empowerment Fund, a foundation that provides micro loans, literacy programs and business training to women in Uganda to help them rebuild their post-war lives. Urban Decay’s founder Wende Zomnir tells Refinery29, “the purchase of just three primer potions equals roughly the amount needed to fund a micro loan for one woman, which she says could change that woman’s life.”
Urban Decay hopes to raise $500,000 in the first year of sales, with a five-year goal of three million dollars. The limited-edition primer is also just a starting point for the brand. In years to come you can expect to see a slew of Ultraviolet Edge limited-edition products roll out.
So what’s Gwen’s role in all of this? Of course she makes for a great model, but added publicity is another major factor. Zomnir says working with Gwen “makes it really clear to people that she’s doing it to bring awareness, and it’s not about overtaking the brand or just signing someone up to sign on the dotted line and be a face. It’s really about involvement and doing something good in the world.”
We know the products will change in time, but what we’re loving about Ultraviolet Edge’s first featured item is that it’s something everyone can use. Rather than rolling out a bold, Gwen Stefani-approved red lipstick that some folks might not feel comfortable wearing, eyeshadow primer is a cosmetic that appeals to a larger demographic, opening up charitable sales to a much larger bracket. We’d love to see the future featured products continue in this way with things like concealer, BB cream, foundation, etc.
What is your favorite celebrity + charity partnership? Share with us in the comments below.
(Photo via Jamie McCarthy/Getty and Urban Decay)
