The Sims franchise, hair brand Dark & Lovely, and award-winning gaming content creator Danielle “Ebonix” Udogaranya have partnered to address the lack of diversity in gaming.
Introducing More Black Hairstyles In Sims
Dark & Lovely, a leading hair color brand for Black women, is known for its products tailored to the specific beauty needs of Black women.
Collaborating with The Sims 4 and Ugogaranya, they aim to enhance the representation of Black hairstyles within the game.
This effort is to empower Black gamers to express themselves more authentically in virtual spaces.
“We are excited with this collaboration to bring even more representation of Black hairstyles in The Sims 4,” said Anna Huerta, Senior Creative Director, The Sims 4, in a press release.
“This work in representation is so important – when we define the details of expression – lived experiences matter. By putting diverse hairstyles such as these in the game, we normalize it more and more.”
Dark & Lovely has further teamed up with Ebonix to introduce new hair colors and styles for The Sims 4 characters.
This includes six new hairstyle mods with 10-12 color variations each, inspired by Dark & Lovely’s Immersive Bolds collection.
This update, a part of a free game upgrade, introduces 24 color combinations across two existing hairstyles.
Play In Color Documentary
The partnership has birthed the “Play in Color” social documentary, spotlighting changemakers in the gaming industry, available on the “Play In Color” website and Dark & Lovely’s YouTube page.
The “Play in Color” campaign highlights inclusivity and encourages hair color experimentation and bold self-expression.
It aims to give Black women gamers opportunities to authentically reflect their style in the digital world.
Dark & Lovely will also dedicate the 2024 Building Beautiful Futures scholarship, in partnership with the NAACP Youth & College Division, to young Black women pursuing STEAM and graphic design careers.
This scholarship program aims to close educational and career opportunity gaps through mentorship, scholarship, and career coaching.
