The 2021 Glossy Awards Announcement, encompassing both beauty and fashion this year, honored standout companies and campaigns. The winners helped to highlight and define key stories of growing businesses working tirelessly to reach millennials and Generation Z — critical audiences whose values differ sharply from previous generations.
This year’s picks spotlight the importance of responding to the times. The successful programs that launched served as the bright spots that beauty and fashion could offer during months of quarantine and social unrest.
It was also clear that this year’s winning teams emerged from organizations with forward-thinking founders, sustainable business practices and solid tech partnerships. All of these were essential ingredients for up-and-coming brands looking to make a splash, respect their customers and remain at the forefront of their shoppers’ minds, and wallets.
Influencers continued to be a powerful force in 2020, especially as people turned to their screens to find inspiration and community around the activities and brands they love. Ipsy charged ahead with an interactive voting campaign that featured Khloé Kardashian and Item Beauty co-founder Addison Rae. Meanwhile, Lycored partnered with makeup artist Erin Parsons to offer uplifting moments to New York Fashion Week models.
The world was focused more than ever on the ways humans impact the planet and are accountable to each other. It was no surprise that corporate social responsibility programs made waves with the Glossy judges. In a new $100,000 scholarship program, Tresemmé helped Black women with a passion for hair-care careers offset tuition costs for an accredited cosmetology school of their choosing. On the Fashion Awards side, lingerie company ThirdLove, specializing in size-inclusive bras, launched the TL Effect program to support early-stage companies run by women entrepreneurs of color.
Omnichannel strategies often provide a pathway to new customers and loyal fans, and this year’s winning campaigns reflect that. Function of Beauty unlocked the chemistry needed to provide personalized shampoo and conditioner blends for every customer. Partnering with Target, the brand’s customizable shampoo formulations paired with online help from hair chemists for an in-store and digital blend. In another program, Fashionphile disrupted the retail industry with a customer experience program that included physical studios, virtual appointments and free pick-up service.
Explore all the winners of the 2021 Glossy Fashion and Glossy Beauty Awards via our guide. Included is a quick rundown of the campaigns, as well as insights into why they won and what fashion and beauty marketers can learn from them. Download the complete guide here.
