Black beauty leaders made their way downtown to the ever-buzzy WSA for The Black Beauty Club’s inaugural Vanguard Awards. The event was a dinner-turned-ceremony that felt equal parts celebratory and a soft launch of the future. The evening honored the club’s Vanguard 50 list: the Black people shaping beauty as we know it, and the guest list did not disappoint. Think: everyone from Vernon François to Aweng Chuol.
Powerhouse key honorees like Ms. Tina Knowles, Golloria, Dawn Sterling, and Naeemah LaFond, each received thoughtful awards like Canon Builders, Culture Architects, Culture Drivers, Image Makers, and the New Vanguard. These titles underscored the multifaceted ways Black leaders continue to define, disrupt, and design what beauty looks like in the present and future.
The evening began with an intimate tasting led by the distillers behind SirDavis, the whiskey brand founded by Beyoncé. Guests weren’t just schooled on notes; they were immersed in the deeper story behind the spirit. And, naturally, the evening—which was supported by L’Oréal—radiated brilliance. There was laughter echoing between courses, flawless photo ops at every turn, and plates that were just as memorable as the speeches. In short, a true one of a kind night.
“Tonight was warm, intimate, and full of real joy,” Tomi Talabi, founder of the Black Beauty Club shares with ESSENCE. “That is what The Black Beauty Club is built for: rooms that feel human, high-trust, and connected. It felt special to see so many people across the ecosystem together—founders, artists, editors, talent—all in one space, not performing, just present.”
Further, Talabi understands the importance of moments like these—especially in our current climate. After all, “Black beauty is not a trend. It is identity, invention, and culture,” Talabi shares with conviction. Rather than a fleeting aesthetic, she framed it as a driver of innovation that continues to shape the industry in undeniable ways. “This dinner is a way to document and protect that authorship—to spotlight the people expanding who gets to be seen across industries—not only beauty, but art, film, tech, politics, science, and more—and to build a record that holds, especially as AI and technology increasingly shape what gets surfaced, credited, and remembered.”
What began as a small collective, a safe haven for Black beauty professionals to lean on one another, has now evolved into a global platform and a needed powerful support system for industry leaders worldwide. And last night certainly was a reflection of this growth.
Below, an inside look at last night’s Vanguard Awards Dinner.
