Whew! It was quite a struggle, but I managed to get my paws on what may be the most exclusive makeup item in recent history. I bought it months ago but wanted to wait till the rest of the Byzantine collection was actually out (it has been for a couple of weeks now).
*drumroll* This is the piece de resistance, the Makeup Museum's equivalent to the Louvre's Mona Lisa, THE stand-out in the entire collection thus far (and easily the most expensive many times over, oof): Lumieres Byzances de Chanel!
Only 1500 were made and of those, only 130 reached U.S. shores. This one came from the 57th Street boutique in NYC.
With flash:
And some more pics because I couldn't seem to stop taking pictures of it – too pretty!!
The Chanel Byzantine makeup collection was meant to be paired with the pre-fall 2011 fashion collection. According to Fashionologie, "The theme was inspired by Gabrielle Chanel's Byzantine cross-adorned cuffs and the Byzantine empress Theodora." Says Karl Lagerfeld, "Theodora was a circus artist who became empress, like Chanel, who was a little singer and became a fashion empress…I like the idea of these two strong women." And the Chanel website had a nice little summary of the exact architecture Mr. Lagerfeld was so inspired by:
"The Church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy was constructed between 527 and 548 during the reign of Emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora. The UNESCO-protected monument is a treasure trove of glittering glass and enamel mosaics, which attracted the lens of Karl Lagerfeld in 2010. Portraying richly-dressed figures laden with jewels, these images bear witness to the extravagance of Constantinople and the splendour of its iconography.
Karl Lagerfeld plays with this aesthetic in conceiving a collection that glitters with reflections of this vanished luxury. Recently unveiled in Istanbul, the collection revives historical ties between Ravenna and Byzantium that saw San Vitale serve as the prototype for the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Now the capital of Turkey, Istanbul was once known as Byzantium and renamed Constantinople in 330, when it became capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. At the peak of its success in the sixth century, the burgeoning empire gave rise to a brilliant, refined civilisation that survived until the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Mosaic-lined basilicas are a testament to the society at the heart of the Christian empire. The last remnants of this iconic art survive in Ravenna to this day."
When I was quickly perusing Byzantine art online1, several things struck me: the use of gold in the background of icon paintings, the iridescent jewel-like glass of the mosaics, and the overall opulence that the art embodied. All of these attributes were beautifully translated into the Chanel collection.
First, the gold, both fabric and jewelry:
The mosaic-like patterns on some of the pieces (I've never seen anything like the sleeves and collar on the coat on the right!):
And finally, the richness of velvet and embroidery:
(runway images from style.com)
And obviously, the Lumieres palette shares these features as well: gold inlay used to hold the individual shadows, their shiny jewel-like shapes, and rich colors and texture (obviously I didn't swatch the palette, but I bet the cream shadows have a wonderful texture). I think the best part of the Byzantine collection, besides the lovely and extravagant palette, is that the makeup look of the runway show was directly taken from Theodora's face as portrayed in the mosaic at the San Vitale church.
(image from paradoxplace.com)
According to talkingmakeup.com, Peter Philips, Global Creative Director of Chanel Makeup, had this to say: “The links and associations with Chanel are rich and plenty. Karl Lagerfeld gave Sam [McKnight] and me a sketch giving us a rough idea of the direction he wanted for the look, from then the tone was set. Karl also showed us the world-famous mosaic portrait of Theodora, the Empress of the Byzantine Empire Mosaic from the Saint-Vital de Ravenne Basilica, which very naturally became the inspiration for the show’s makeup. The portrait gave me a focus point : the red eye shadow/liner that she wears on the arch of her eyebrows. This look is all about light and rich textures. The choreography between gold, bronze, black and red can be easily personalized according to the desires of each woman.”
Here's a closeup of Theodora and the makeup at the show so you can really see the influence:
(images from thebolognadiaries.wordpress.com and talkingmakeup.com)
I adore the headbands too – you can see one in this fragment of a floor mosaic from the Met. The woman, Ktisis, is "a personification of generous donation or foundation":
(image from byzantiumnovum.org)
As a really cool bonus, Chanel made these amazing mosaic window displays at their South Coast Plaza boutique – the Beauty Look Book has some great pictures of them!
So there you have it. I do wonder if we will ever see a makeup item quite like this – both in terms of price and how well it ties into a given theme – ever again.
1 For more on Byzantine art online, check out the Metropolitan Museum of Art's summary here. For books, I'd check out Helen C. Evans (Curator of Early Christian and Byzantine Art at the Met) and Robin Cormack, Professor Emeritus of Art History at the Courtauld Institute of Art.
While I majored in art history in college, the only non-European and U.S. art I studied was African – ancient South American art wasn't offered. For shame! Investigating this Guerlain collection was a lot of fun and now I have books on Incan art on my already-huge Amazon wishlist.
Here is the Terra Indigo eye shadow palette. For some reason the pics came out blur-tacular, not sure why. Hmmph.
With flash:
"Like colorful Incan qompi fabrics woven from shadows and pigments, the Terre Indigo eyeshadow unites all of their tones into a single palette," says the product description. Hmm, what are qompi fabrics? A quick Google search reveals that they were fine, high-threadcount cloths reserved for the most important community figures. The geometric patterns adorning them were called tocapus. The amount and intricacy of patterns corresponded to the rank of the person wearing them. (This is really the basic info in a nutshell – it was a very complex system and the Incas put great importance on the clothing they made. You can read more here and here.) Anyway, here's an example of a tocapu:
image from https://www.geocities.com/denniskriz/tocapu03-complex.html
I cropped one of the triangular patterns that seems to be the most similar to the one on the palette. I'm still not sure where Guerlain is getting the circles though – in all the pics I came across of the tocapus I noticed there was a lack of circular shapes.
Onto the bronzer. According to the ad copy at Sephora, it was "inspired by the design of extra-large wooden bangles, a trend of the season", but I thought the outer looked more like a partial Incan quipu – a set of knotted cords woven together to record numerical information.
Here's a quipu, for comparison:
(image from nytimes.com)
Pretty cool, eh?
Here's the inside. I'm not sure what this was supposed to be – it sort of reminded me of a sundial, but I couldn't find any pictures of similar-looking Incan sundials to support this theory.
With flash:
While I think overall this collection could have been a little more authentic-looking, it seems that some thought did go into the design, and the inspiration was very clear. It definitely inspired me – now I want to pop down to Dumbarton Oaks in DC to check out their Pre-Columbian collection. 🙂
I like that Paul & Joe had an actual painting in mind as the inspiration for their spring 2011 collection. From their website: "Paul & Joe Beaute blossoms in spring 2011 with 'Parasol', a fun and decadent collection inspired by 'Woman with a Parasol' and other Impressionist artworks that capture the sensual essence of [an] indulgent spring afternoon. Drift away under the shadow of a parasol and let your imagination wander, as you gaze at the twirling colors that seem to dance from the cascading sunlight. Dare to dream with the delectable colors of spring that promise to awaken your soul and stir your senses."
Here is Woman with a Parasol by Monet, 1885:
(image from nga.gov)
But I think this one, with the same title and completed in 1886, is the image Paul & Joe is referencing.
(image from monetalia.com)
I liked that the face and eye colors for this collection came in hexagon boxes meant to mimic a parasol's shape. Looking back, I'm not sure I didn't buy one…hopefully it will still be available!
(image from paul-joe-beaute.com)
The lipstick designs are quite pretty; however, I don't think they're overly reminiscent of the painting or even Impressionism in general. They're fairly typical Paul & Joe designs.
From left to right: Alfresco (069), Chantilly (070), and Afternoon Delight (071):
The print from Afternoon Delight appeared on this dress:
(image from fashionologie.com)
I actually like this print better on the dress than on the lipstick, which is odd considering I don't usually like prints, especially floral ones. Like many Monets, however, I'm guessing it looks better far away than up close. ;)
Overall I loved that Paul & Joe based an entire collection on a painting. While I wished they would have had more of an Impressionist feel, the lipstick prints displayed the usual delicate prettiness we come to expect from Paul & Joe. And I loved the literal interpretation of the parasol within the shape of the face and eye colors. I look forward to the summer collection!
p.s. Because I was such a good customer, b-glowing.com (where I ordered the lipsticks) gave me this little bag as a GWP. It's got the kitty from the fall 2009 collection:
Yay for free collectibles!
I have to say that I was initially excited about MAC doing a Wonder Woman collection…until I saw the packaging. It was just, well, sad.
(image from nordstrom.com)
I guess I was hoping for something more interesting and not so juvenile and cheap-looking – something that better represented Wonder Woman's character. Says the copy for the collection: "Our Artists work wonders every day – now with the help of one of entertainment history’s most exciting feminist figures…Wonder Woman is the original incarnation of what makes women forever wonderful!…In that same spirit of fantasy and wonder, M∙A∙C creates a vivid collection of accessories that are sure to bring you a sense of feminine infallibility, totally peerless power – you ARE Wonder Woman if you want to be." Additionally, there has been the argument, and I agree with it, that Wonder Woman can be considered a feminist icon. That larger debate is outside the scope of this post, but suffice it to say that the packaging seems to be appealing to children than adults, and doesn't necessarily reflect the more grown-up themes of Wonder Woman's strength and power. MAC could have easily chosen better images and kept basic black packaging (similar to their Hello Kitty collection).
But the outer boxes for the items, along with the tote bag and t-shirt, which I bought for the Museum, were more intriguing. I liked that they brought an actual comic book element into these:
And I think the fold-out I got was the best piece in the whole collection, even though it's not technically part of it and was sent to me with the t-shirt for free!
Now, one simply cannot have a conversation about comic books and their heroes (or in this case, their heroines) without considering the work of pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. At least, I can't. Lichtenstein painted almost identical large-scale copies of sections of comic books.
(Sweet Dreams Baby!, image from popartpal.com)
Whaam!, from 1963, is actually based on an original 1962 DC comic called "All American Men at War":
(image from artchive.com)
I really enjoyed how MAC exaggerated the the Ben-Day dots in the fold-out much like Lichtenstein did in his work.
Thinking of Him, 1963:
(image from globalgallery.com)
Girl with Hair Ribbon, 1965:
(image from reproduction-gallery.com)
So, to summarize, there are many layers of meaning about this collection if you want it to be – it intersects makeup, comic books, feminism and pop art. Works on so many levels!
I like the idea behind Shu Uemura's spring 2011 collection, Morphorium. In my opinion, there is no better time for a transformation-themed collection than spring. :)
Here's the Morphorium Blue palette:
Here it is with the flash, you can see the pattern on the blush better:
My sad attempt at some "artsy" angled shots:
The blue is dead-on for the butterfly:
(image from sacredheritage.com)
Now for the Sunset Gold palette:
With flash:
Some other shots:
The second I saw the title of this collection I immediately thought of Dali's classic Metamorphosis of Narcissus (1937):
(image from virtualdali.com)
However, Shu's collection is a much more pleasant take on the idea of metamorphosis vs. Dali's more melancholy and ominous interpretation.1 This is an excerpt of the poem written by Dali to accompany the painting:
"Now the great mystery draws near,
the great metamorphosis is about to occur.
Narcissus, in his immobility, absorbed by his reflection with the digestive slowness of carnivorous plants, becomes invisible.
There remains of him only
the hallucinatingly white oval of his head,
his head again more tender,
his head, chrysalis of hidden biological designs,
his head held up by the tips of the water's fingers,
at the tips of the fingers
of the insensate hand,
of the terrible hand,
of the excrement-eating hand,
of the mortal hand
of his own reflection.
When that head slits
when that head splits
when that head bursts,
it will be the flower,
the new Narcissus,
Gala –
my narcissus."
Compare that to the description of the collection at the Shu Uemura website:
"Metamorphose yourself with the mesmerizing glory of nature, just like a mysterious morpho butterfly landing softly onto your shoulder…transform yourself with fascinating, vibrant hues of the blue morpho butterfly for wild, mystic beauty."
Of these two very different expressions of the metamorphosis theme, I like Shu's better!
1 See "Dali's Metamorphosis of Narcissus Reconsidered" by Milly Heyd.
To celebrate the reopening of their Soho boutique, Chanel decided to do an exclusive collection ("exclusive" meaning only available at Chanel boutiques and at their website) devoted to the hip Manhattan neighborhood. I was intrigued enough to buy the highlighter/blush.
With flash:
I tried to find some answers about the inspiration behind the colors of the collection and the palette's design. Peter Philips, CHANEL Global Creative Director of Makeup had this to say about the collection: “For me, SoHo is a place where Bohemian ideals meet the toughness of the city… I love the tension and energy this creates.” To echo this "toughness", the two nail polishes in the collection were named Steel (dark shimmery grey) and Strong (sparkly purple). As for the design on the blush, here's the description from the Chanel website: "This blush-and-powder palette, comprised of light plum, pink-ivory and soft pink shades for face and décolleté, puts the name of the CHANEL Boutique — in hip, downtown SOHO, New York City — front and center." Well, that's lovely, but it also looks a lot like Robert Indiana's LOVE design, no?
(image from bluffton.edu)
Now that I really look at it, I'm not sure how interesting the design on the palette actually is, or how the colors and design capture Soho's essence (I've visited there a few times and this doesn't strike me as particularly Soho-ish.) I guess it might come in handy if I ever do a NY-themed exhibition. And I very well could someday, what with the release of the Urban Decay NYC palette – I'll be discussing that as soon I get around to taking pictures of it. 🙂
This is the first time in a long time I liked Benefit packaging enough to buy the product for the Museum. Named after the daughters of Benefit co-founder Jean Ford (who started the company with her sister Jane) the Maggie and Annie boxes feature unique psychedelic-looking designs.
We'll start with Annie.
Beneath the "lesson" booklet are the eye shadows. Here they are in natural light and with flash:
Maggie:
Here are the eye shadows in natural light and with flash:
I'll be frank – I have zero interest in the makeup itself. What grabbed me about these palettes is the fact that they look like a cross between the iconic Bob Dylan poster by Milton Glaser and a painting by post-Impressionist Paul Signac. Here is the Dylan poster, completed in 1966:
(image from friendswelove.com)
And here is the 1890 Signac painting, titled Portrait of Felix Feneon Against the Enamel of a Background Rhythmic with Beats and Angles, Tones, and Tints (quite a mouthful!) As you can see, Paul Signac took after Pointillist Georges Seurat.
(image from buzzsugar.com)
Interestingly enough, you can see both of these at MoMA. Now I'm curious to know who designed the Benefit palettes and what their inspiration was, and why they chose this particular style for them!
The second I heard "Gem Glam" I immediately thought of the '80s cartoon Jem (yes, I'm showing my age.) What's really funny is that it Jem was in a band, Jem and the Holograms, and the diamond shapes are slightly holographic.
All silly '80s nostalgia aside, here is the powder itself, in natural light and with flash:
Maybe it's just me, but the pattern, with its tidy geometric division of bright colors, seem to give off a Frank Stella-ish vibe. I was fortunate enough to see some of his work when I visited Philip Johnson's Glass House and his nearby painting gallery, and this palette really reminds me of his paintings.
Harran II, 1967:
(image from guggenheim.org)
Hyena Stomp, 1962:
(image from tate.org.uk)
Sabra, 1967:
(image from lasvegas-nv.com)
Flin Flon, 1970:
(image from cs.nga.gov.au)
The issue I have with this palette from a design perspective is that the exterior doesn't really go with the interior. The outside diamonds look like shiny children's stickers, while the inside is more high art. It's an odd juxtaposition and I'm not sure it all comes together. Plus this palette was released for summer and it doesn't seem all that summery to me save for the vibrance of the colors. Still, I do admire the company for at least trying to come up with a compelling design, both inside and out. Can't wait to see what Shu has on tap for fall!
I wasn't thrilled with the notion of yet another makeup item with a rose on it for spring, but Lancôme's Coral Flirt blush from the O My Rose spring collection stands out from the crowd. Tell me this doesn't look Cubist! Here it is with and without flash:
Between the pinkish tones and the geometric, angular planes, the minute I saw it I immediately thought of Picasso's landmark Cubist work, Demoiselles d'Avignon from 1907:
(image from moma.org)
Obviously an analysis of this work and Cubism in general is well beyond the scope of my little blog, but if you want a good quick explanation, check out MOMA's gallery label and this blog entry. In any case, I was pleasantly surprised by this oh-so-artsy take on the traditional rose.
I also want to share the rather complicated procurement of this piece! I couldn't find it anywhere – it was sold out completely online and in every store I called, but eventually I found a Macy's that had one left. It was too far away for me to come pick it up in store so I asked if they could ring me up over the phone and send it to me. I was told I could only purchase it over the phone with a Macy's charge, and that the cardholder had to call directly (meaning I couldn't just pass along the credit card info). The only person I know with a Macy's credit card is my mom, so she ended up calling the counter, putting the blush on her charge and having it sent to me. Whew! The things I do for the Museum…good thing my mother is so supportive. Thanks, Mom!
In honor of Piet Mondrian's birthday yesterday (albeit in 1872) I'm sharing these pretties from Yves Saint Laurent.
(image from neimanmarcus.com)
In 1965 Yves Saint Laurent created a jersey shift dress inspired by the work of Mondrian. The Met summarizes this fashion landmark nicely: "As the sack dress evolved in the 1960s into the modified form of the shift, Saint Laurent realized that the planarity of the dress was an ideal field for color blocks. Knowing the flat planes of the 1960s canvases achieved by contemporary artists in the lineage of Mondrian, Saint Laurent made the historical case for the artistic sensibility of his time. Yet he also demonstrated a feat of dressmaking, setting in each block of jersey, piecing in order to create the semblance of the Mondrian order and to accommodate the body imperceptibly by hiding all the shaping in the grid of seams." Here is the dress and what I'm guessing was the particular painting that inspired it, completed in 1930.
(images from metmuseum.org and actlab.utexas.edu)
What I love about the palettes is that they took an original fashion concept from Yves Saint Laurent and made them wearable. Obviously red, yellow and blue are not the most versatile colors to wear on your face, so the palettes provide a nice variation on the YSL-Mondrian theme. These are definitely on my wishlist, but at $54 a pop I don't think I'll be getting them any time soon since the spring collections have depleted Museum funds. Someday I'll get them!