In the men’s fragrance industry, diversity often eludes the imagery of popular brands. Ad campaigns still rely on conventional messaging around sex appeal, status, and power, with white bodies reliably at the forefront. Shawn Crenshaw, founder of Ovation For Men, came to the industry with a dream to change the narrative, and center the strength and beauty of Black men with his signature scent and its branding. He joined “City Lights” producer Summer Evans via Zoom to introduce Ovation and share his inspiration for a fragrance that aims to elevate men of color.
Interview highlights:
How Crenshaw found himself in fragrance:
“It goes back me being a kid, to be honest. My dad was a big fragrance collector and connoisseur, and… I was always curious. I would sneak into his room and look at his fragrances that he had, and it led to me havnig this idea of creating my own fragrance. As a kid you dream about doing things that you see your parents do, some of the loves and passions of your parents,” said Crenshaw. “I thought, ‘Wow, how cool would that be, to have my name on a bottle?’”
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