Beauty
Meet Melyon, a New Skin-Care Brand From Stockholm With Inclusivity at Its Core
Roger Dupé aims to make the beauty industry more inclusive with his new skin-care line, Melyon….
Model and entrepreneur Roger Dupé was taught early that skin care was a form of self-love. Now, he’s passing that learning along through Melyon, his new inclusive beauty line from Stockholm. Operating with a “less is more” approach, Dupé has launched with four products to start. All are vegan, ecological, cruelty- and paraben-free, and have a base of nutrient-rich baobab oil, which pays homage to Dupé’s roots in Ghana and Togo. The baobab also inspired the dramatic design of the recyclable glass product bottles.
With Melyon, Dupé wants to expand the definition of beauty and uplift those who have often been ignored by the industry. Designed for dark skin tones, Melyon products are unisex and can be used by anyone. “I think beauty has different shades and should speak to everybody,” says Dupé. He talks to Vogue about being scouted, his dreams for the future, and the need for top-down change in the fashion and beauty industries.
Roger Dupé
Photo: Courtesy of MelyonLet’s start from the beginning: How did you start modeling?
I grew up in a small town called Västerås. It’s like 15 minutes out from Stockholm. My dream was to become a soccer player. When I was 18 or 19, I injured my knee, and after that I didn’t feel the same energy to continue. I always went to Stockholm because I have an interest in clothing. So I went to a store called Top streetwear and I had two people following me. I thought in the beginning that they thought I was stealing something, but they came up to me and they were asking, ‘Are you a model?’ It was so strange because the model industry was so far away from me as a soccer guy from the suburbs. I didn’t have any references about that, so it was kind of weird for me, but they insisted, so I took the business card and after I couldn’t leave the thought. I called them back around two months later, and then from there it’s history. I’ve been in the industry now for 11 years, and am like the first Black model from Sweden to make a successful international carrier. I mean, it’s fantastic, and it’s a blessing, of course.
What is it like being in the modeling industry?
For me it was weird because it was something I didn’t know when I was young. Also, I got bullied because I looked different. I was in a really, really white school when I was young. So I always had that kind of feeling that I didn’t fit in anywhere. When I came into the fashion industry I thought it was opposite. I was like, maybe I fit here because I look different. But there were other issues under the surface, like the white privilege and the idea of white skin [being] more beautiful and the main subject of what beauty is in the fashion industry. So then I felt it was a bit strange because they wanted me, but…. And I didn’t see many Black people in the shows as well; I didn’t see diversity. I can also see that there’s been a change, but there needs to be a change in the whole pipeline. You cannot start to build the roof, you need to start from the ground.
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Carmen Bryan’s Cryptic Post Stirs the Pot in Jay-Z Controversy
The hip-hop industry currently faces substantial controversy as Jay-Z finds himself in the eye of a storm. Allegations of sexual assault stemming from a 2000 afterparty involving the illustrious rap mogul and disgraced music executive Diddy have ignited fierce public debate. While Jay-Z categorically denies the accusations and expresses his intent to contest the lawsuit, the court of public sentiment appears to have already rendered its verdict. Further complicating this turmoil is the involvement of Carmen Bryan, a name from Jay’s contentious history, which has added a chilling layer to the evolving situation.
Carmen Bryan, recognized for her decade-long affair with the Brooklyn rapper, recently took to Instagram with a cryptic yet pointed post. Although she refrained from naming anyone directly, Bryan suggested that loyalty often supersedes ethical morality in cases involving influential individuals. “These days, people don’t defend what is right; they defend who they like,” she wrote. Her parting shot, “And that’s why we call you a groupie,” felt like a verbal mic drop, leaving little doubt about who her words targeted.
The intrigue didn’t stop there. Bryan shared a snapshot of Jay-Z’s lyrics from his 2010 track “Monster,” honing in on a particularly unsettling line: “Kill a block, I murder the avenues, I rape and pillage your village, women and children.” Though these lyrics were part of a more extensive metaphorical verse showcasing a “monster” persona, their resurfacing in this context feels calculated and ominous.
Bryan is no stranger to controversy, having previously aired her grievances toward Jay-Z. In her 2006 memoir, It’s No Secret: From Nas to Jay-Z, Seduction to Scandal, she detailed their affair and its tumultuous fallout. Additionally, she revealed in a 2017 interview that she had been pregnant with Jay-Z’s child, only to suffer a miscarriage. The relationship, fraught with personal and public conflict, remains a blemish on Jay-Z’s meticulously crafted, otherwise carefully curated narrative. Carmen Bryan’s multifaceted approach raises pertinent questions: Is she simply sharing her perspective on morality in the industry, or does she possess additional undisclosed knowledge?
While the allegations against Jay-Z are still under legal evaluation, Bryan’s Instagram post has reignited another dimension to the complex and polarizing discussions about power dynamics, accountability, and the ethical responsibilities of those influential individuals in the spotlight. Her courageous decision to use Jay-Z’s lyrics against him paints a stark picture that forces fans and critics alike to reckon with the blurred lines between art and reality.
As the legal proceedings involving Jay-Z progress, the public remains split amid this developing saga. While Jay-Z’s peers have predominantly expressed skepticism toward the allegations, the enduring legacy of this iconic figure hangs in precarious balance, with shadows from the past casting long and potentially damning silhouettes.
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Jay-Z Engrossed in Fresh Allegations as Tony Buzbee Claims More Victims
In a stunning twist to an already high-stakes legal dispute unfolding with the intensity of a Hollywood thriller, Jay-Z, one of music’s most preeminent figures, finds himself at the center of an explosive allegation involving minors. This drama stems from accusations brought forth by attorney Tony Buzbee and has escalated a conflict that began with a lawsuit over alleged extortion. Buzbee, who represents a woman accusing the music mogul of sexually assaulting her at the 2000 MTV VMAs afterparty, claims there are additional alleged victims, involving both male and female minors.
Jay-Z and his attorney, Alex Spiro, aren’t backing down. They have initiated a countersuit against Buzbee, vehemently denying the allegations and characterizing them as “entirely fabricated and malicious.” Spiro’s filing asserts that Buzbee’s accusations are part of a calculated scheme to tarnish the rapper’s reputation and coerce a settlement. “These baseless accusations are nothing more than a weapon in a calculated plot,” Spiro stated, doubling down on their stance that the allegations are devoid of any factual basis.
The case took another dramatic turn when the woman Buzbee represents amended her lawsuit against Diddy to include Jay-Z. The timing of the amendment and the salacious nature of the claims have fueled a media frenzy, leaving the hip-hop icon fighting a battle both in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion.
Late Sunday, Jay-Z fired back with a defiant statement on X (formerly Twitter). “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle,” he wrote. “No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”
This case is now racing against the clock, with Jay-Z’s legal representatives seeking an emergency hearing to address the allegations. Their urgency stems from the relentless media coverage, which poses a substantial risk to the Roc Nation founder’s reputation. This matter extends beyond a mere legal confrontation; it encompasses significant implications beyond the courtroom, a fight for his legacy.
The stakes are exceptionally high. Legal counsel Buzbee hints at the potential existence of additional alleged victims, thereby intensifying the spotlight scrutiny placed on both parties involved. With careers, reputations, and justice on the line, this legal showdown is poised to become a critical juncture within the music and entertainment industry. For fans and observers alike, the unfolding circumstances prompt inquiries regarding the veracity of the claims and the tactical weaponization of reputation in the court of public discourse.
