Winnie Harlow has always stood up for representation in every project she works on. Whether it be her suncare skin brand Cay Skin, which she founded in 2022, or her collaboration with Coca-Cola this holiday season, she brings her values – kindness and empowerment – to the forefront, telling Schön!, “I stand for representation in not only my career but the things that I create.”
After being diagnosed with vitiligo at four years old, Harlow has made it her mission to represent the skin condition throughout her career, even being the first model with vitiligo to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show back in 2016. Gracing international covers of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and ELLE, Harlow’s modelling career has allowed her to share the beauty of vitiligo and inspire those with the same condition to celebrate it.
Her latest endeavour, partnering with Coca-Cola to create AI-generated holiday cards, was a no-brainer. “Looking to incorporate representation into my holidays, I wanted my Christmas cards to reflect me and the people I was giving them to,” she says.
The Christmas cards reflect Harlow and her festive memories, paying tribute to all things fashion, Jamaican Christmases on the beach, holidays spent with her family in Ontario, Canada, and her childhood imagination.
“Being Jamaican, two things that we have to have are a really good rum cake,” Harlow shares, “and then sorrel,” which she tells us “is a Christmas drink made from hibiscus flowers.” As each one takes about a week to make, Harlow reminisces of the smell that envelopes the house at Christmas time.
For Harlow, creating real magic around the holidays means “spending time with family.” She shares that “as you get older and you get into your own wavelength of life, it’s really nice to have that time, specifically around the holidays, to spend with loved ones.”
With each individual’s holiday looking different, Harlow and Coca-Cola are encouraging everyone to visit the Create Real Magic platform, where you can create your own AI-generated greeting cards. This year, the company is even giving the public access to their iconic characters and imagery, hoping the younger generation will re-discover them and their relevance in 2023.
Looking to 2024, Harlow shares her excitement for upcoming projects with her skincare brand Cay Skin, telling us to “look out in the spring” for new innovations. As the year comes to an end, we at Schön! are excited to see where the New Year takes Harlow.
Visit CreateRealMagic.com to generate artwork to share with family and friends.
imagery. courtesy of Coca-Cola and Winnie Harlow
words. Amber Louise
