At the Palais de Tokyo museum in Paris, Kérastase, the luxury hair and scalp care brand, hosted its second annual Power Talks on Tuesday. Attracting influencers and media from the United States, Europe, the Balkans and Asia, this event aimed to help women gain confidence through active mentoring.
Through programs like this, Kérastase strives to elevate women’s voices by closing the confidence gap between men and women. According to a global Kérastase survey of more than 2,500 women in the United States, China, Brazil and France, 74% of women believe they lack confidence during the defining moments of their career. For this reason, there are significant gaps in how women perceive their abilities, working relationships and future potential compared to men.
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Upon arrival, guests were guided up a grand staircase with a giant inflatable letter K as a backdrop. The room was designed as an activation in itself with information about the brand, as well as an art installation titled She’s light years ahead by artist Sara Shakeel, known for her work with crystals. The models were covered head to toe in tiny silver crystals and linked together by more than 3,000 feet of crystal strands. The message of the installation: that women have a universal understanding of their shared experiences.
As the Power Talks began, Rosa Carriço, Global Brand President of Kérastase, opened the session by reminding women that even if they have doubts, desires and questions, there is a space for them to be mentored, what the brand does by partnering with mentoring. non-profit Step Up in 15 countries.
Ebonee Davis, an Atlanta-based poet and global brand ambassador for Kérastase, performed two of her poetic works, acknowledging that the work of her ancestors and other artists – from Maya Angelou and James Baldwin to Nipsey Hussle – propelled her where she is today. She invited the audience to say the names of those who paved the way to success. Gaëlle Drevet, former ABC journalist turned television producer – and also founder of The Frankie Shop, a concept brand present in New York and Paris – also spoke. “We can live with regrets but not remorse,” Drevet told the audience of realizing his dreams. “Go for it. The worst that can happen is you fail.
Poet, author and illustrator Rupi Kaur has opened up about how university professors told her she wouldn’t succeed as a poet. Today, she travels the world performing spoken word poetry. After reading several of her poems, she described how a greater force came to her that propelled the work she does today. “Elizabeth Gilbert calls it ‘great magic’ and she talks about this mysticism that women have access to. Fourteen years ago, this mysticism took over my body and I heard this voice saying, “You’re going to go on stage and speak.” There was something so powerful about hearing my voice through a microphone for the first time and having it reach ears ready to listen,” she said.
To complete the discussions, the actress and Amelia Dimoldenberg, creator of the digital interview series Chicken Store Datewhere the two talked about supporting women, business, confidence and overcoming failure.
Ratajkowski — whose podcast High Low with Emratawhich covers topics related to sex, politics and feminism, was recently canceled by Sony – spoke confidently about his own struggles. “There is this voice of doubt that is heard and it can lead me to a point where I compare myself to other women. The way I cope is to achieve what I do. So much of how we perceive life and how you perceive yourself will be reflected back to you,” she said.
The conversation moved to Beyoncé’s Renaissance Could Tour, which Dimoldenberg and EmRata found to be a stimulating experience. “The amount of people that were there to celebrate at Beyoncé’s church, I was so happy to be there with them,” Ratajkowski said. When asked if she had any dating advice for women, Ratajkowski said that after a fashion show she was asked the same question, to which she responded: “Women never pay the bill “. His response proved controversial and after going on a date where the guy paid for the meal, he brought up his TikTok on the subject. “Don’t make TikToks about dating advice that might come up later and embarrass you,” she told the audience, who burst into laughter.
The evening ended with a party at the Bonnie Club, a retro-style New York venue with 360-degree views from Paris’ Morland Tower, where guests wore midnight pink. Attendees danced to DJ sets from Tiffany Calver and a performance from Friday on the Sea.
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