Six Female-Driven Celebrity Collaborations to Support on International Women’s Day

By Tim Chan

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – March 8 marks International Women’s Day, and many of Hollywood’s biggest stars have launched powerful new collaborations this season inspired by the strength and struggles of everyday women.

From size-inclusive clothing to “green” products for new moms, each of these collaborations is designed by women for women, with the hope of creating representation for females of every age, gender, ethnicity and life stage so they can see themselves accurately reflected when they shop online. As we celebrate International Women’s Day (and Women’s History Month), these projects serve as a reminder that women aren’t just important as customers, but as creators, too.

Here are six female-driven campaigns and collaborations to support.

1. Nike x Serena Williams

Nike used last weekend’s buzzy Oscars telecast to debut their latest campaign, which shines a spotlight on game-changing female athletes and everyday women breaking down barriers in their respective industries. Narrated by 23-time Grand Slam winner, , “Dream Crazier” is a short film that compiles footage of some of the best female athletes in the world, including Simone Biles, Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, snowboarding phenom Chloe Kim, and members of the US Women’s National Soccer Team (who will be outfitted by Nike at this summer’s 2019 Women’s World Cup).

Rosemary St. Clair, VP and GM at Nike Women, says the company continues to make strides in promoting accessible and functional clothing that better reflects the needs of women both in sports, and for everyday life. St. Clair cites Nike’s first-ever “Pro Hijab,” designed for athletes with religious observances , and the brand’s bra innovation, which is now crafted to ensure the right fit and function up to 44G. “We want everyone to participate in sport — and not just every now and then but regularly,” she writes in a post on Nike.com, “and we know that to support the dream we have to lead a conversation regarding a variety of desires and needs.”

As for the new campaign, Williams posted a clip of the short film to her Instagram last week, adding the quote: “If they think your dreams are crazy, show them what crazy dreams can do.” See more from the campaign and shop Nike’s new women’s collection here .

2. Dove x Kelly Rowland

From her debut single, “Stole,” to Destiny Child’s “Survivor,” Kelly Rowland knows her way around an inspirational anthem. Now, Rowland has teamed up with Dove on an original song and campaign that tackles the often controversial topic of self-expression through hair. After a Dove survey found that 50% of girls say their hair can make them feel self-conscious, Rowland says she wants the song — titled “Crown” — to break down the narrow definition of “beautiful hair,” and to encourage girls to wear their hair however they choose. The campaign’s hashtag: #MyHairMyCrown.

“Growing up, I felt many of the pressures young girls face today when it comes to embracing their hair, but my mom would always tell me that your hair is your crowning glory and you should wear it proudly,” Rowland says. “This song is very personal to me, and I am incredibly proud to be partnering with Dove to spark this conversation and encourage girls everywhere to love their hair.”

The music video for “Crown” (directed by Hannah Lux Davis) premiered during E!’s red carpet coverage of the Grammy Awards last month. Rowland will also be serving as a mentor for a number of Dove workshops designed to spark conversation around hair, diversity and self-confidence.

“Dove wants all young girls, and women, to have the confidence to wear their hair anyway they choose, and to see their hair as a source of confidence, not anxiety,” says Piyush Jain, Unilever vice president of marketing and general manager of hair care. “As a brand, we are committed to celebrating all hair types [and] ‘Crown’ allows us to share that message in an exciting way that we believe will resonate with girls everywhere.” Download the song here |  Shop Dove Hair Care best-sellers here .

3. “Hello Bello” (Walmart) x Kristen Bell

and husband Dax Shepard aren’t shy about sharing their parenting struggles, whether through Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast , or their hilarious social media accounts . Now, the parents of two have teamed up with Walmart on a new line of baby products designed to give parents easy access to unfussy, eco-friendly everyday items (think: diapers made with sustainably harvested “fluff pulp,” hypoallergenic and fragrance-free baby wipes, and biodegradable shampoos, soaps and laundry detergent).

Dubbed “Hello Bello,” the collection hit Walmart stores and Walmart.com this week and Bell says she was careful to choose items that are “better for babies, budgets and the planet.” Every Hello Bello package has a full list of ingredients, and the packaging is designed to be easily recyclable instead of piling up in a landfill.

“I know how beautifully messy parenthood can be, and that’s why we created Hello Bello — a line of premium, super effective baby care products to take care of your kids from head-to-butt-to-toe,” says Bell. “Our products are fresh and fun. More importantly, we use plant-based ingredients and organic botanicals that are better for our kids and better for our world.”

Hello Bello’s shampoo, body wash and lotion come in a vanilla apricot and lavender scent, while the diapers come in whimsical patterns and prints, including Bell’s favorite — sleepy sloths. Shop the full collection here .

4. Walmart x Sofia Vergara

Bell and Shepard aren’t the only ones teaming up with Walmart this year. “Modern Family” star just launched a new inclusive denim line with the retailer that features nearly 100 items ranging in size from XS to XXXL for tops, and sizes 0-20 for bottoms. In addition, everything in the Sofia Jeans by Sofia Vergara collection is priced under $40.

The collection — which will introduce new products and styles seasonally — includes jeans, denim jackets, blouses, T-shirts and accessories designed in collaboration with the actress. The denim styles are all named after women in Vergara’s family, and feature a variety of fits designed to flatter a variety of body types.

“I wanted to design a line of great-looking jeans and fun tops that are comfortable and affordable, and to create a collection for women of all shapes and sizes,” Vergara says. “Everyone’s body is different. Every body is beautiful and should be celebrated.”

Walmart says they were inspired by Vergara’s “trademark self-confidence,” and worked hard with the actress to design a line that makes women feel and look great, and inspires them to “work what they’ve got.” Shop the collection here .

5. eBay x Gail Simone

eBay is teaming up with legendary writer Gail Simone and notable comic illustrator Cat Staggs to launch the world’s first online shop dedicated to superheroines. The new destination, “ Superheroine HQ, ” launched yesterday and offers a curated selection of comic books, collectibles and memorabilia featuring female superheroes.

Staggs, who has worked on titles like “Smallville,” “Adventures of Supergirl,” and ” Orphan Black, ” created the original Superheroine HQ poster, which shows a young girl discovering her passion for comics and imagining herself as a future superhero.

Simone, meantime, has written for everything from “Birds of Prey” to “Wonder Woman,” and she says working with eBay to promote this shop is as much about highlighting comics, as it is about promoting strong, powerful women.

“When I was a kid, being a girl nerd wasn’t that common, and I felt very isolated,” she says. “I was also the only kid in my school with red hair. Then I discovered Batgirl, and it literally changed my life. The smart girl who kicked butt and had a motorcycle, and best of all, had red hair? I want to pass on that gift of joy and confidence to other readers of all genders.”

In addition to super-collectible pieces, like ” Batman Adventures #12 CGC 9.8 ” featuring the first appearance of Harley Quinn, eBay is also capitalizing on this weekend’s release of ” Captain Marvel, ” with a new, limited-edition Captain Marvel comic book, titled ” Captain Marvel: Braver & Mightier #1. ” eBay says it’s seen a 63 percent spike in sales year-over-year for Captain Marvel products, and a 34 percent jump in sales for female superheroes overall. Simone says that’s not surprising to hear.

“It’s been my greatest joy in comics to see women come to my signing line, or talk to me on social media, and see them blossom into tremendously talented and successful comics creators in their own right,” she says. “Movies like ‘ Wonder Woman ‘ and ‘Captain Marvel,’ and also ‘ Hunger Games ‘ show that women can have adventures, and that we can be heroes. We don’t have to be the damsel in distress or the girlfriend exclusively.”

“Female fandom continues to grow and break through barriers,” Simone continues. “I believe these fantastic, strong female characters can inspire readers everywhere to the limits of their imagination and creativity.”

Shop and browse eBay’s Superheroine HQ here . Many pieces are one-of-a-kind or limited-edition, and the offerings also include a selection of brand new merchandise, in addition to vintage and retro collectibles.

6. Saatchi Art x Lorien Haynes

From Titian’s Venus to “Whistler’s Mother” and Picasso’s nudes, women have more often been the subject of artworks than had their own works displayed in galleries and museums. And while female artists have seen greater exposure in recent years, they still struggle for representation in the traditional art world, with their work comprising only 30% of the pieces on display in museums and galleries across the globe.

Saatchi Art is working to change that. For women’s history month, the online art gallery is highlighting the female painters, sculptors, illustrators and photographers they have on their site. Among the artists of note: actress and writer Lorien Haynes, who was part of the team behind the controversial documentary, “An Open Secret.”

Here, Haynes uses charcoal and paper as her medium, exploring themes of femininity, protest and power through tactile and emotional oversized nudes . Each piece is named after a woman in Haynes’ inner circle. Says the multi-talented artist, “I want to celebrate the female form as it is — not how we are conditioned to believe it should be. My figures do not meet your gaze. They stand in their own right. Think their own thoughts. They are independent strong minded women. And this is a time to stand up and be counted. To fight for our planet, our bodies, our beliefs, our democratic rights. Whether you draw or write, or produce, or act — the choices we make — the votes we take, the material we create — is of vital importance now.”

Saatchi, one of the most respected names in the art industry, says more than half of their online sales by U.S.-based artists last year were works produced by women, and currently 54 out of the 100 best-selling artists on the site are female.  Browse selections at SaatchiArt.com . You can use code OKEEFFE10 to take 10% off your order.