About UBC

URBANBEAUTYCOLLECTIVE.COM is the go-to gathering place for ethnic style professionals and the people they inspire. The photos, forums and tips are from real, working black beauty pros with hands-on experience, not high-paid editors who give advice in theory. URBANBEAUTYCOLLECTIVE.COM is the online community of the acclaimed nationwide network, Urban Beauty Collective (UBC).

Launched in June 2003, UBC is an invitation-only, national network of the best and brightest African-American, Afro-Caribbean, African and Afro-Latino hair salons and barbershops in the top 15 urban markets. UBC consists of more than 12,000 beauty environments in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Baltimore, Miami, San Francisco/Oakland, Memphis, Charlotte and New Orleans.

UBC is the catalyst for an exclusive promotional program called UBC-TV, which provides customized in-salon entertainment to patrons from the comfort of their trusted stylist's chair. UBC-TV is a branded-DVD delivered to salon doorsteps each month, showcasing the latest in movies, music, television and lifestyle brands. UBC-TV clients have included the following film and television companies, among others: ABC, BET, BLOCKBUSTER, CAPITOL, COLUMBIA TRISTAR, DISNEY, DREAMWORKS, FOX, FX, GIANT MAGAZINE, GEFFEN, IFC, JIVE, LIONSGATE, MGM, MTV FILMS, NEW LINE CINEMA, PARAMOUNT, SOAPNET, SONY, TARGET, THE CW, UNIVERSAL, UPN, USA, VERITY and WARNER BROS.

DVA Media + Marketing, formerly the The DuVernay Agency, is the parent company of Urban Beauty Collective. Since opening its doors in 1999, DVA has spearheaded campaigns for theatrical film releases, television series and documentaries, as well as home entertainment properties, live entertainment projects, lifestyle brands and corporate clients.

THE FOUNDER

Ava DuVernay is president/founder of DVA Media + Marketing, parent company to Urban Beauty Collective and Urban Thought Collective. Through DVA, DuVernay reaches millions of urban consumers each month on behalf of high-profile clients at Paramount, Warner Bros, Fox, Universal, ABC, HBO, The CW and BET, to name only a few. She is also an award-winning filmmaker, directing and and producing the feature documentary THIS IS THE LIFE for Showtime under her Forward Movement banner.

THE MANAGING EDITOR

Tilane Jones is the managing editor of UrbanBeautyCollective.com, overseeing all editorial content and member services. She joined UBC's parent company, DVA Media + Marketing, in January 2008 with a special focus on digital projects. A long–time practitioner of retail therapy, Tilane has blogged about her adventures as a fashionista in the City of Angels by way of Seoul, Korea and Prattville, Alabama.

THE ILLUSTRATOR

Katharina Pretl is a Los Angeles based and Vienna trained Fashion Designer and Illustrator. She has designed for many successful companies including Joe’s Jeans, 12th Street by Cynthia Vincent and Seven for All Mankind. Her illustrations have been commissioned by Apothia (at Fred Segal), Oou Boutique (Los Feliz), 944 Magazine and various other trendy websites and t-shirt companies. www.lanafutura.com

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