The feminist icon convenes senior leaders from Ulta, Allure, Vogue, and Urban Decay for a landmark conversation: can beauty be a tool for feminism in this new era?
NEW YORK, March 1, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- On the first day of Women's History Month, and just days before International Women's Day , feminist icon and activist Gloria Steinem will host an invitation-only Talking Circle at her New York City home to explore a question that has long been dismissed but never resolved: whether beauty is a meaningful tool for feminism, or a distraction from it. In a cultural moment when women's economic power and autonomy are under renewed scrutiny, the question has never felt more urgent.
The circle will bring together some of the most influential women in beauty, fashion, and media, including Kelly Mahoney, Chief Marketing Officer of Ulta Beauty; Jessica Cruel, Editor-in-Chief of Allure; Sammi Tapper, Director of U.S. Operations & Content Strategy at Vogue; Wende Zomnir, co-founder of Urban Decay and Caliray; and Jeanine Lobell, founder of Stila and NEEN. The event is supported by Maison, a private network for high-earning female entrepreneurs.
Co-hosting alongside Steinem is Susannah Dellinger, founder and CEO of Bright Beauty Connect, who helped shape the guest list and the conversation's agenda, bringing many of the industry's key voices into the room. Dellinger's invitation grew from a single question she raised at a private Maison event featuring Steinem where she asked whether beauty, so often dismissed as superficial, might instead be understood as a powerful force for women's agency and economic independence. The question sparked the idea for this gathering.
"Beauty can change the world, but first we need to change the world of beauty," said Dellinger. "This industry is built largely by women, sold largely to women, and still rarely treated as serious economic or cultural infrastructure. That changes when we put the right people in the same room and refuse to let the conversation stay small."
Since 2022, Steinem has hosted more than 50 Talking Circles in her home, welcoming over 200 guests into an intimate setting designed for deep listening and meaningful exchange. Each circle centers on a single theme, bringing together leaders and experts to explore cultural questions that deserve more than a headline. This gathering marks the first time the format turns its lens on the beauty industry — an industry built largely by women, sold largely to women, and still rarely treated as the serious economic and cultural infrastructure it is.
The March 2 circle will also include model Paloma Elsesser; Maeva Heim, founder of Bread Beauty Supply; Kailey Bradt, CEO of Sonsie Skin; Jennifer Walsh, founder of Beauty Bar and adjunct professor at Harvard; Kim Baker, founder of Glamazon Beauty; Emily Cole, creative director and daughter of Kenneth Cole; Alexis Banerji, writer at Allure; Kathleen Tozzi, Vice President of Operations at Bright Beauty Connect and former Whole Foods executive; and select members of the Maison community.
Featured Guests
- Gloria Steinem and members of the Gloria Steinem Foundation (Host)
- Susannah Dellinger, Founder & CEO, Bright Beauty Connect (Co-Host)
- Hannah Nieves and Maritza Tobon, Co-Founders of Maison (Co-Host)
- Kelly Mahoney, Chief Marketing Officer, Ulta Beauty
- Jessica Cruel, Editor-in-Chief, Allure
- Sammi Tapper, Director of U.S. Operations & Content Strategy, Vogue
- Wende Zomnir, Co-Founder of Urban Decay and Caliray
- Jeanine Lobell, Founder of Stila and NEEN
- Paloma Elsesser, Model
- Maeva Heim, Founder of Bread Beauty Supply
- Kailey Bradt, CEO of Sonsie Skin
- Jennifer Walsh, Founder of Beauty Bar and Adjunct Professor, Harvard University
- Kim Baker, Founder of Glamazon Beauty
- Emily Cole, Creative Director and daughter of Kenneth Cole
- Alexis Banerji, Writer, Allure
- Kathleen Tozzi, Vice President of Operations, Bright Beauty Connect
- Select members of Maison community
About Bright Beauty Connect
Bright Beauty Connect, founded by Susannah Dellinger, builds world-class retail field sales teams that help beauty brands show up powerfully and sell through faster at Sephora, Ulta, Bluemercury, Nordstrom, and Credo Beauty. Focused on female-founded and female-funded brands, the company works to level the playing field in retail through education-driven in-store experiences, real-time data, and its proprietary Bright Method. Learn more at brightbeautyconnect.com.
About Maison
Maison, co-founded by Hannah Nieves and Maritza Tobon is a private social network for high-earning women committed to building meaningful community and driving cultural impact. Through curated gatherings and shared experiences, Maison creates space for women at the top of their fields to connect, collaborate, and shape the conversations that matter.
Media Contact
Susannah Dellinger, Bright Beauty Connect, 1 843-494-3599, [email protected], https://brightbeautyconnect.com/
SOURCE Bright Beauty Connect
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