Diarrha N’Diaye, the visionary behind the beloved clean beauty brand Ami Colé, has officially been named Executive Vice President of Skims Beauty, Cosmopolitan reports. The announcement marks a major comeback for N’Diaye, who will now lead product development, innovation, and brand strategy as Kim Kardashian’s billion-dollar empire expands into beauty and fragrance.
Though fans are still mourning the September closure of Ami Colé, N’Diaye’s appointment at Skims feels like a full-circle win for those who admired her commitment to inclusivity and authenticity in the beauty industry.
“Kim will lead the vision, but we dance so beautifully together,” N’Diaye told Cosmopolitan. “I will be working to bring the products to a world where everyone feels they can relate. Fashion can feel aspirational, but for beauty we also want it to feel accessible.”
The first-generation Senegalese-American has long been celebrated for building brands that feel personal, intentional, and community-driven. Before launching Ami Colé in 2021, she worked in marketing and product development at L’Oréal Paris and Glossier, two global giants that helped her sharpen her eye for detail and design.
With Ami Colé, she created a brand that celebrated melanin-rich skin, championed clean formulas, and racked up dozens of awards, including multiple Cosmopolitan Holy Grail Beauty Awards, before being sold in over 600 Sephora stores.
Now, she’s taking that expertise to Skims Beauty, helping shape a new vision for what representation and innovation can look like in a brand with global reach.
“The biggest thing about finding what products people need is being a good listener. And I’ve been doing that forever,” N’Diaye said. “Growing up in my mom’s hair salon in Harlem, which has been there for over 40 years, it was natural. I heard people sharing tips, and I’d find the common denominator and find where the white space is. I’ve always held on to that. Now I’m not sitting in a hair salon. My hair salon is the internet, Reddit, and going to trade shows like Cosmoprof. I’m also walking the streets of Brooklyn and seeing what people are wearing and connecting the dots.”
That grounded perspective, rooted in curiosity, culture, and community, is precisely what has made N’Diaye a rising star in the beauty industry. It’s also why Kardashian says there’s “no better person” to help bring Skims Beauty to life. “I want Skims Beauty to be a place where everyone feels represented,” Kardashian told WWD.
With N’Diaye leading the creative charge, Skims Beauty is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting launches in recent memory, a blend of high-fashion energy and everyday accessibility, brought to life by one of beauty’s most respected innovators.
Cover photo: Ami Colé Founder Diarrha N’Diaye Named Executive Vice President of Skims Beauty/Photo credit: Shana Jade Trajanoska/Business of Fashion