People Are Not Happy That Ruby Rose Is the Face of the Basquiat-Urban Decay Collaboration
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People Are Not Happy That Ruby Rose Is the Face of the Basquiat-Urban Decay Collaboration

Makeup line Urban Decay announced on Instagram yesterday that it will soon release a new "seriously" limited edition collaboration with the late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Though reportedly Basquiat's estate approached Urban Decay and not the other way around, (and though Basquiat's name has been attached to other commercial brands with varying levels of street cred before), the idea of a famously underground graffiti artist known for his critiques of America's consumption habits shilling makeup made the collaboration a bit conspicuous.

Now, Urban Decay is coming under fire for another reason - the casting of Ruby Rose as the face of this new line. Though Rose has been a brand ambassador for UD since last March, the missed opportunity to choose a black person to represent the collection was too much for some.

Especially given that lack of representation is already a major obstacle for black models, the frustration toward this decision is more than understandable.

[h/t Dazed]

Splash image via Twitter