Mogul Sean Combs has continually used his platform and resources to uplift marginalized communities. His latest efforts have been centered on empowering Black entrepreneurs. According to WWD, the Harlem native invested in Thirteen Lune; a platform designed to highlight beauty brands created by Black and brown founders.
The platform—which officially launched in December 2020 by founders Nyakio Grieco and Patrick Herning—was created to push inclusivity in the realm of beauty forward and address the barriers faced by Black entrepreneurs when it comes to growing their businesses. Thirteen Lune was launched as a vessel to spread awareness about beauty companies owned and operated by people of color. The platform currently features over a dozen Black and brown-owned brands and will add more in the near future.
Grieco says the seed for Thirteen Lune was planted following the uprising that took place last summer. “We obviously experienced at this last pinnacle moment of Black Lives Matter a shift within the industry, and I’ve always felt that the fashion industry and beauty industry have a real huge opportunity and responsibility to be catalysts for change when it comes to inclusivity and unity,” she said in a statement, according to the news outlet. “This change, this opportunity to raise $1 million in such a short period of time is a first for me as a Black woman but also, I feel that this business specifically has been so needed for so long.”
With the help of Combs and other investors that include Nicole Avant, Naomi Watts, Gwyneth Paltrow, Gregg Renfrew, Sydney Holland and Patrick Finnegan, Thirteen Lune was able to raise $1 million. “I believe in the Thirteen Lune mission to build generational wealth for Black and brown business owners. Nyakio and Patrick have the vision and grit to build a world-class platform, and I’m excited to be an investor and adviser,” said Combs.
News about Combs’ involvement with Thirteen Lune comes after it was announced he invested in the Black-owned artificial intelligence company Forethought.
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