QVC and HSN kicked off Black History Month featuring a specially curated assortment of Black-owned and ally brands, as well as with a $100,000 donation to the Black Women’s Health Imperative [BWHI]. In shopping the brands, customers can make direct donations to the BWHI from QVC.com and HSN.com.

Among the brands featured are those that have been discovered through QVC and HSN’s 2021 The Big Find product search. Nominated products will be presented via dedicated digital livestreams and special on-air segments on QVC, QVC2 and HSN.

“Our Black History Month initiatives are a part of our year-round commitment to celebrating the achievements and contributions of Black business leaders and all entrepreneurs, founders and creators,” said Rob Robillard, SVP of Merchandising Home, Culinary, Electronics, and Merchandising Operations at Qurate Retail Group in a statement.  “Black-owned small businesses are at the heart of communities across the U.S. and are critical to our efforts to offer innovative, high-quality products that appeal to our customers.”

Bridget Love, VP/GMM, Beauty, QVC, HSN

Here, Bridget Love, Vice President and General Merchandise Manager of Beauty for QVC and HSN, discusses the importance of BWHI, the company’s inclusivity goals, and what makes the nominated brands so special.

Beauty News: What qualities and characteristics did you look for in the brands that have been highlighted?

Bridget Love: We sought out brands with a differentiated product mix that solve problems and offer a high degree of exclusivity. We also look for brands with a compelling origin story and an authentic, passionate storyteller who could bring the brand to life through live video commerce experiences on multiple platforms.

Our most successful storytellers share their personal journey, including why and how they created their product, and how they built the brand. QVC and HSN customers enjoy hearing directly from founders and experts. Our unique form of video storytelling enables brands to build personal connections with customers, which is hard to replicate for traditional brick-and-mortar or transactional ecommerce retailers.

BN: Are any brands new to QVC and HSN?

BL: Our specially curated Black History Month assortment includes brands that were already in the QVC and HSN vendor family, such as Mented Cosmetics and Eu’Genia Shea, as well as new brands we are excited to introduce, including 241 Cosmetics and Undefined Beauty.

BN: What makes the Black Women’s Health Imperative so important?

BL: BWHI has provided education initiatives that promote overall wellness of Black women since 1983. The organization works tirelessly to address racial and gender health disparities that affect Black women.

BN: How does the company support Black-owned brands throughout the year?

BL: QVC and HSN are committed to developing a diverse and inclusive vendor community and increasing opportunities for underrepresented groups. Through programs like our Small Business Spotlight and The Big Find, we offer Black-owned business and entrepreneurs a robust platform for increased visibility and growth.

Our innovative Small Business Spotlight offers diverse small businesses on-air and digital exposure through QVC’s, HSN’s and Zulily’s platforms, along with various other pro-bono in-kind services. At least 100 diverse businesses will be selected for the program in 2022, adding to the approximately 160 small businesses that participated in 2020 and 2021.

The Big Find is QVC and HSN’s annual international search to discover entrepreneurs with the next big brand or unique product and offer them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share their stories with our audience of millions across multiple platforms. In last summer’s pitch panels, 26 Black-owned businesses won a “Big Ticket,” inviting them to meet with our merchandising teams for an opportunity to launch with us. Overall, 81 percent of Big Ticket winners in 2021 self-identified as either women-owned or minority-owned.

BN: Is there a percentage or number of Black-owned beauty brands and is there a goal to have a certain amount of new lines by year end?

BL: We are committed to elevating underrepresented businesses and products by spotlighting 500 underrepresented small businesses by 2025 and by implementing a vendor/supplier diversity program across our categories. In 2022, we plan to select at least 100 diverse businesses for increased exposure through our Small Business Spotlight initiative, adding to the approximately 160 small businesses that participated in 2020 and 2021. We will keep working to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in our vendor family.