DETROIT – You might have seen billboards all over Detroit that read, “D Girls do it better.”
As we mark Women’s History Month, we introduce you to the two businesswomen who are behind the billboards that are taking the term, “girl power” to the next level. They are collaborating for the first time, and it’s not only happening during Women’s History Month, but the launch is on 313 Day (March 13.)
“It’s surreal and it feels really warm and special to be able to do that (have billboards) in my hometown,” said Melissa Butler, Founder and CEO of The Lip Bar.
Read: ‘I wanted to make an impact’: The Lip Bar owner hopes to challenge the way people think about beauty
The Lip Bar is a vegan, cosmetic brand sold in stores across the country and celebrated its 10th anniversary in February.
Butler has made several accomplishments with the company, but this D-Girl Collection is special.
“I owe a lot of my success to the city of Detroit. People supported me very early in my career so I really wanted to make sure that as I continue to rise, I remind the city and the people around me that they can rise too,” said Butler.
She’s always wanted to team up with Glam-Aholic Lifestyle’s Mia Ray, the Detroit entrepreneur who made history when one of her collection launches grossed a record-breaking $700,000 in less than 10 minutes.
“It was a no-brainer for us. We have a lot of the same audience. We have a lot of the same principles. We both grow our businesses in a very organic way with very little,” Butler said.
Together, the two successful women created a collection to celebrate the style of Detroit Black women in the 90s.
“I grew up watching the glam of the 1990s with Black women with the high beautiful sculpture ponytail with the bedazzled jewel nails with like designer, but very casual designer, clothing,” Butler said.
The D-Girl Collection features three lip glosses by The Lip Bar and a cosmetic case by Glam-Aholic Lifestyle.
“What’s fun about the glosses is they’re named after things that are very Black Detroit. So Spritz is to really, you know, play up the hairstyles that we had and then Buffs, a lot of people in Detroit wear Cartier glasses like it’s something that has been a part of our heritage for like 30-40 years so it’s an ode to that. And then Stink Pink as in gators. So rapper Notorious BIG, he had a line that says ‘Stink gators, my Detroit players,” Butler explained.
Even the promo shoot for the collection was Detroit through and through.
“We reached out to Detroit stylists who are famous like the Glam Tech who has done hair for super celebrities and we were like we want you to create the ponytails from the 90s and Marv Neil, he styled it to the tea,” Butler said.
It only made sense to launch on March 13th, also known as 313 Day at 3:13 p.m. online here or at The Lip Bar’s Detroit store.
This is a limited collection so once it sells out, they won’t be restocking it but Butler hopes the collection’s message will stick with people much longer.
“This collaboration is a reminder to Detroit, a reminder to be exactly who you are and to stand in your truth.”
Leading up to the launch, Ray and Butler also partnered to mentor students at their former high school in Detroit, Cass Tech.