It was nice to see Dolce & Gabbana coming up with a more collectible lineup for the holidays. The Sicilian Jewels collection includes four lipsticks with four corresponding nail polishes. Now that doesn't sound so interesting, but I'd say that at least one of the lipstick colors breaks new ground. Plus all four shades are encased in shiny gold with a gem that matches the color inside.
I picked up the ones I thought would be most holiday-exhibition-appropriate: Topazio (gold), Rubino (red) and Smeraldo (green). Yes, a green lipstick!
Dolce & Gabbana's creative adviser and makeup artist extraordinnaire Pat McGrath had this to say about the green lipstick: "I think they’re just fun colors to wear if you go out at night, and then you can just try those crazy blues and greens and that’s a fun thing…it really encourages you to wear braver lip tones and to have fun with lipstick." Eh…I'll need more convincing that green lipstick is actually wearable outside the runway. (See swatches here and judge for yourself!) Of course, you could also mimic McGrath's technique of blending it into an otherwise red lip: "For me, I basically keep it on the center of a red mouth, [blending it a bit to] make it more brown and do the whole ombré thing. But she also mentions wearing it as eye shadow: "And, I would definitely wear it on my eyes. I do love lipstick on my eyes — I love the cream color and I think it’s a very nice, rich tone. That, on your eyes, is going to be incredible." Once again, I don't think this is practical. A cream-based lipstick, even with an eye shadow primer, isn't going to stay put for long on anyone's lids. It's a trick best left to the runway.
All that aside, I was immensely fascinated with the novelty of this green lip color.
This isn't the first time D & G has adorned their cases with gems – the Lip Jewels palette from their holiday 2010 collection also utilized the same shape and color of the jewel from this year's Rubino lipstick.
However, while this is more or less a repeated design, I liked that it came on the heels of the designers' fall 2013 runway show. Says Stefano Gabbana, "I love jewels; they are a symbol of power and passion…I love how they reflect the light: that’s why they have always been part of our collections since the very beginning. We adorn with gems our accessories, our corsetry, everything, like in our latest winter collection, which is the ultimate expression of what jewelry means for us."
Indeed, the Byzantine-inspired collection showcased a plethora of bedazzled frocks and accessories, offset by an ubiquitous use of gold.
(images from style.com)
In this instance, I think re-using the jewel motif was acceptable since it ties in to a recent fashion collection. Plus, as McGrath points out, “Matching your lipstick to your nail lacquer is a hot makeup trend. We chose four new shades that showcase the theatrical and playful side of looking good: they are so shiny and special that they’ll be a perfect complement to any holiday or New Year outfit. They can be worn in a young, ironic interpretation or with a more grown-up, sophisticated vibe. Just like a piece of jewelry.” So it's evident that some thought was actually put into the collection to make it relevant to both the fashion and to the holiday season, when most folks like to break out glamourous, rich jewel tones for both lips and tips.
What do you think of Sicilian Jewels? And would you wear green lipstick? I might give it a shot, but only for a fun night out, obviously – I don't think anyone at work would appreciate it. 😉