The New Power Play. Why Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye’s Move to Skims Is a Masterclass in Leverage.

Nov 6

Let's kill the "one door closes, another opens" narrative. It's weak, it's passive, and it's not what happened here.

When a beloved, mission-driven brand closes, the automatic assumption is "failure." When Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye announced Ami Colé was shutting down, the community saw it as a tragedy—another brilliant brand for Black and brown skin that couldn't survive.

But what if it wasn't a failure? What if it was a strategic execution?

This week, Skims announced that Diarrha has been appointed EVP of Beauty and Fragrance. This isn't the story of a founder who failed and got a new job. This is the story of a founder who built a brand so authentic, so powerful, and so good that she made herself the most valuable asset in the game.

This isn't a comeback. It's a takeover.

The "Celebrity Brand" Is Dead (Kim K Knows It)

Let's be honest. We were all here for KKW Beauty in 2017. We bought the contour kits. We watched the hype. And we collectively realized the quality wasn't there. It was a classic "celebrity brand"—all platform, no product. Its eventual "halt" was inevitable.

Kim Kardashian is many things, and she is not stupid. She learned what we all know: in 2025, consumers are too discerning for a brand that is just a famous face on a generic bottle. The old model is dead.

The "Authenticity" Shakedown

While Kim was learning that lesson, Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye was in the trenches building Ami Colé. She wasn't just building a "brand"; she was building a movement. She created "actually inclusive" products that won five Allure Best of Beauty Awards. She had everyone "scrambling to get their hands on a tube of lip oil."

She proved she had "the gift" – the rare ability to bottle authenticity, community, and storytelling.

The "unsustainable operating costs" that closed Ami Colé? That's not a business failure. That's a strategic proof of concept. Diarrha proved she could build a brand so culturally resonant that it became a threat, and so valuable that its founder became the prize. She didn't just build a brand; she built herself into an irreplaceable asset.

**The New Model The Platform Must Buy the Soul**

This is the new power dynamic. It's the Karol G x Casa Dragones playbook on steroids. A massive Platform (Skims) realized it was hollow without Soul (real expertise).

Kim's previous ventures failed because they lacked a real, credible "why." This hire isn't a "humble" move; it's a cold, calculated, and brilliant acquisition. Kim didn't just hire an employee; she acquired the one thing her billions can't buy: Diarrha's "gift" and her unimpeachable cultural credibility.

This is a masterclass in female leadership. Instead of surrounding herself with "yes-men," Kim, like she did with Emma Grede, is building an empire by partnering with other alpha women who are experts in their field.

This Isn't a New Job It's a New Throne

Let's reframe this. Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye isn't "starting over." She won.

She built a brand, proved her thesis, and forced one of the biggest platforms in the world to write her a massive check for her talent. She is now walking into an empire with a nine-figure war chest and the keys to the kingdom, with none of the personal risk of her first startup.

She is not a victim of a hard industry. She is the victor who just showed every founder how the game is really played.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye?

Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye is the celebrated founder of the award-winning beauty brand Ami Colé. After closing her brand in 2025, she was immediately appointed as the Executive Vice President of Beauty and Fragrance at Skims.

Why did Ami Colé close?

While the brand was critically acclaimed and beloved by its community, it reportedly closed due to unsustainable operating costs—a common challenge for independent, high-growth brands.

What does this hire mean for Skims Beauty?

This move signals a massive power play. By hiring Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye, Skims is bypassing the "celebrity brand" model and acquiring a proven, award-winning expert, positioning them to be a dominant and authentic force in the beauty industry.

What is the new "celebrity brand" model?

The new model is a strategic fusion of a massive celebrity platform with a true, respected industry expert. This moves beyond simple endorsement to create a more authentic, high-quality, and credible brand, as seen in this partnership and the Karol G / Casa Dragones collaboration.