Sephora: Adultification Bias Video
Sephora, the leading global beauty retailer, has been working to create a more inclusive retail experience for all customers. To better understand and address the realities of racially biased treatment in U.S. retail—including within their own stores—they commissioned a first-of-its-kind national study. To accompany the release of the report, Sephora engaged our team at 5IVE to create a short video that would summarize the study’s findings and communicate the brand’s commitment to meaningful change.
As art director and lead designer on the project, I developed the creative direction and design system for the video. Working with the 5IVE team, we secured client approval and produced the final piece in just two weeks—delivering a powerful visual story that combined statistics, real-life scenarios, and thoughtful illustration to help raise awareness and position Sephora as a leader in driving industry-wide change.
MY ROLE
Art Director
Lead Designer
Branding & Identity Design
Skills employed
Storyboarding
Art Card Development
Illustration
Typography & Layout Design
The approach
The video’s art direction centered on a subtle juxtaposition between the corporate and the human. Illustrations of Sephora as an organization — its buildings, interiors, and products — were designed with a clean, single-weight line style to convey consistency and structure. In contrast, the people — staff and customers — were depicted with more organic lines and varied weights, reflecting the complexity and individuality of human experience. These two styles created a balanced visual language that reinforced Sephora’s role — keeping people at the heart of the story.
The project was featured widely in the media, with coverage from outlets including Good Morning America, ABC News, Forbes, The Washington Post, the Associated Press, Glamour, Allure, Fortune, Business Wire, and New York Magazine’s The Cut.
Press Coverage
