After years of producing successful fragrances, Marc Jacobs has finally joined the beauty game in full with a new 120-piece line that debuted at Sephora last week as well as his new beauty boutique in Soho.
(images from sephora.com)
After years of leaning towards more natural territory for the runway, recently Jacobs felt that stronger makeup is necessary to complete a certain look, which was the impetus behind the cosmetics line's creation. "A young girl looking natural – that's what I did every season. And then one day the face didn't feel finished. Maybe it's because my shows became more theatrical. Maybe it's because I grew up. But I realized that makeup is a vital accessory. Even if it's just a groomed eyebrow, there has to be a final punctuation to the look," he states in the August issue of Allure.
The line is also influenced by famed makeup artist Francois Nars, a long-time friend and colleague whom Jacobs managed to coax out of runway retirement into doing the makeup for his shows in 2009. Says Jacobs, "When I started working with Francois again, the mood got more stagy, with more references to the '70s and '80s. But the shows are a theatrical presentation – not real life." This interest in the '70s and '80s might account for products like the super high-gloss Lip Vinyls. Additionally, the August issue of In Style notes how Jacobs paid homage to some of his favorite film characters through the names of a few of the products, just as Nars does. (Jacobs has even had his makeup done by Nars for the artist's 2009 book commemorating the 15th anniversary of his line.)
I also like the promo images thus far. "We wanted an image that suggested this love for the ritual of two young women putting on makeup,” Jacobs told elle.com. “There’s a certain reference to a backstage sort of glamour—or staying home and being in your bathroom and putting on your makeup for hours and talking…the images are meant to stimulate or inspire someone to be irreverent, to enjoy the process, and do what feels right for them. It’s about transforming oneself to be the person you’d like the world to see.”
(images from elle.com)
Finally, I think the packaging is very representative of Jacobs' aesthetic – the black is sleek and fashion-forward, while the rounded edges hint at a youthful playfulness and a bit of quirk, which is exactly what you see in his fashion (especially the Marc by Marc Jacobs diffusion line). The rounded edges are also repeated on the bottom of the nail polish bottles, representing a smile.
(image from sephora.com)
I do hope that like Dolce & Gabbana we will see limited-edition items with cool designs in a fairly short amount of time. I think we will. If M. Nars eventually caved to creating Makeup Museum-worthy objects, I have a feeling Jacobs will follow suit.
What do you think of the line so far?