all lacquer’ed up.
Reflecting the elegant edginess of his runway fashions, this summer, designer Marc Jacobs is expanding his empire of cool couture to include a full complement of cosmetics. Mainstays that many designers dabble in, like nail polish (which he showed off at his last runway show), will be included, but he’s also venturing into actual makeup, like concealer and eye enhancers, and unisex basics such as lip balm. Backing Jacob’s bold fete with their full faith, for the first time mega makeup retailer Sephora will launch the new product line simultaneously in all of their stores in the U.S. and Canada, beginning on August 9th.
“While Jacobs has offered fragrances in the past,” the Huffington Post explained, “this mass-market collaboration is unprecedented. The collection, which consists of 122 different products, will be Sephora’s first global product launch. The offerings bear cheeky names like “Boy Tested, Girl Approved,” in signature Jacobs style. Among the products: concealers, color correctors and lacquers in fun shades and few neutrals. Three items are unisex: a brow tamer, a color corrector and a lip balm.”
Jacobs had been blasted for saying that the natural in makeup look isn’t his thing, even going so far as to call it “lazy,” but fans of the designer can’t deny that subtlety isn’t really part of his repertoire. By all accounts the brand is going to be a reflection of his audacious personality, and Jacobs has been heavily involved in its inception. “The line includes bright colors and luxe finishes that the designer himself hand-picked — even the eyeliners and mascaras (referred to as the “Blacquer”) were inspired by a black lacquered table in the designer’s home,” Refinery 29 reported. Jacobs said of his project, “We spent a lot of time developing materials and choosing the colors….the color palette tells a story and that story is based on a spirit. I chose different types of characters, such as an ingénue.”
“I like the transformative qualities of fashion and fashion to me is not just clothing, it’s handbags, it’s shoes, it’s clothes, it’s hair, it’s makeup, it’s fragrance, it’s the whole ritual of making those choices, of enjoying the ritual, of making the choices that will tell the world who you want to be that day,” he said.
For a peek at Jacob’s new products in action, he says he’s already given them a trial run on glamorous celebs like director Sofia Coppola and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth. Lucky ladies! Will you snap up sharp new cosmetics looks from Marc Jacobs or stick to investing in his fashion? — Casandra Armour
