Creating the faces of four shows this NYFW, Ashunta Sheriff is an industry expert with over 20 years working in the beauty industry.
Sheriff’s flawless clean beauty technique and her fresh take on makeup has brought collaborations on publications and social media, with companies like Dior, Biore, Codex Beauty, Armani Beauty, Elizabeth Arden, L’Oreal and many more. In addition to media success, Sheriff has worked with some of today’s hottest and biggest stars, including Zendaya, Janelle Monae, Rihanna, Tracee Ellis Ross, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson.
Sheriff began her career in male grooming. Her first big break came through P. Diddy and Usher, who would put her name quickly in rotation to groom some of the hottest male stars on the planet from Jay Z, to Swizz Beatz, to Denzel Washington, and even Basketetball legend Michael Jordan.
“I got my start in the industry working at MAC Cosmetics. During my time working there, I sometimes was able to work on the team for Fashion Week. My very first show was for Adidas with Run DMC. That led me to know that there were other careers outside of the retail space, and I began to network and make connections that would lead me to working more in fashion and in hip-hop, doing make up for music videos.”
Sheriff’s first Fashion Week show with Adidas and Run DMC was in 1999. From there she worked with the iconic Laura Mercier, who back then would fly in from Paris and train her staff personally. Laura hand-picked Sheriff to go to a Dennis Basso show for Fashion Week, where she was able to touch up Ivanka Trump, Joan Collins, and Nikki Hilton. “That was what really sparked my interest and set a fire in me to move in that direction within the make-up industry,” she said.
Sheriff’s work has graced the covers of top worldwide publications, every major red carpet event, #1 hit shows on television, major blockbuster movies, TV commercials, and music videos. This September, she will be creating the beauty looks for Project Runway All Stars member, Korto Momolu, as well as Galindo, NYC, and Edwin D’Angelo.
XOXO asked Sheriff how she prepares for such an intense and exciting time during the Fashion Week shows. “I prepare for the shows by having meetings with the designers. I see their concepts, sketches, colors, fabrics, patterns, and we discuss makeup looks, and I come up with ideas. We discuss and then settle on the ideas we both love, and that becomes the look for the shows. Some shows are a little easier, as they are locked into a particular era or time, so that’s a case of referencing the looks of that time and bringing it up to date with some modern touches,” she said.
Sheriff prides herself on paying it forward and being a mentor to many of today’s top makeup artists. She is not only passionate about her work, but equally passionate to give back to young artists, especially women of all walks of life. She has mentored several new talents who have grown to have top celebrity clients of their own, and this is something she is most proud of.
“As a Black creative, it is my duty to make sure we continue to be in position to do the work to create and be granted opportunity.”
Coming up next for Sheriff will be another lineup of shows at NYFW in February 2024, attending The Makeup Show event in May 2024, and some major brand events yet to be revealed, so stay tuned!
XOXO,
#yourfashionbestie
