A first look at Louis Vuitton’s make-up

{"text":[[{"start":9.93,"text":"In the fourth-floor apartment of Louis Vuitton’s London flagship, a collection of rather shiny objects is being guarded as though it were a priceless museum exhibit. The items are not, however, precious stones or artefacts. Nor are they diamonds and jewels. The 55 lipsticks, 10 lip balms and eight eyeshadow palettes comprise the inaugural cosmetics collection from the French luxury house. Today, at last, they are being shown for the first time."}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":51.07,"text":"The launch is a partnership with Pat McGrath, whose influence across the beauty industry is so far-reaching that, in 2021, she became the first make-up artist to be awarded a damehood; she is known as the “mother of make-up” or simply “mother” by her six million followers on Instagram. McGrath first started working in fashion editorial in the ’90s, collaborating with designers including John Galliano and Alexander McQueen before launching her namesake brand in 2015. She has been designing looks for Louis Vuitton’s catwalks for more than 20 years, and needed “no convincing” when she was approached to help steer its debut beauty line as creative director of cosmetics. “The objective was to create products that you would never want to let go of,” says McGrath, “a versatile colour wardrobe designed to suit every moment, mood and occasion.”"}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":119.94999999999999,"text":"Each product is housed in gilded packaging by Konstantin Grcic that makes use of the house’s iconic LV Flower. The lipsticks, which come in two finishes, matte and satin, run from bright red to sober nudes, while the eyeshadow palettes offer four takes on one shade, including a glittery “twist”. (The palettes may be refilled by pushing an “LV” button on the base.) "}],[{"start":null,"text":"

The global make-up market is projected to grow by almost $25bn by 2032

"}],[{"start":150.1,"text":"The timing of the launch of La Beauté has been as carefully considered as the five-year development process it has taken to get this far. According to market researcher Fortune Business Insights, the global make-up market is projected to grow by almost $25bn by 2032. Where the fashion sector has been mired in a global slowdown – LVMH recently reported a nine per cent drop in its fashion and leather goods sales – brands have increasingly developed their beauty offerings. Louis Vuitton relaunched its fragrance division, to sales that surpassed expectations, in 2016. That make-up would follow – the collection launches worldwide on 29 August – was simply a matter of time. "}],[{"start":null,"text":""}],[{"start":203.23,"text":"But while the market is buoyant, it is also competitive. As Shiyan Zering, a senior research analyst at Mintel, points out, “the push for inclusivity presents opportunities for brands that can cater to diverse needs”. Louis Vuitton is banking on its plastic-free, refillable packaging and a range that has been “tested on every skin tone around the world”, says McGrath, who was among the first to launch a foundation line that efficiently catered to dark skin tones. “I was taught by my mother to make product that doesn’t exist,” she continues. “It’s fantastic to be able to work that way at Louis Vuitton. We wanted to make each colour one that you will want to come back to every day, and that really meant creating something for everyone.”"}],[{"start":258.21999999999997,"text":"For McGrath, the new collection “carries the history of Louis Vuitton forward into beauty”. Take Monogram Rouge, “a classic red lipstick” inspired by the house’s monogram. (Even the number of lipsticks – “LV” is 55 in Roman numerals – is a nod to this heritage.) “It’s rich and deep but also super-wearable. Trendy, but not in a terrible way.” Rose Eugénie honours the early Vuitton patron Empress Eugénie with a pink lipstick, while Beige Memento, a caramel-toned eyeshadow palette, again references the distinctive LV monogram. “Start with the satin shades to highlight the brow bone and inner corner of the eye,” instructs McGrath, “then use the lumi-matte shade to contour the crease and under the lower lash line to give subtle definition.” "}],[{"start":318.79999999999995,"text":"If there are plans to expand the collection, the details are being kept under wraps. But for McGrath the chances of a follow-up collection are almost inevitable. “You always feel like you’re in a candy store when you’re looking at make-up, don’t you?” she says wistfully. “It feels so good.”"}],[{"start":348.75999999999993,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftmailbox.cn/album/a_1755827199_2767.mp3"}