Hard as it may be to believe, Louis Vuitton has never officially ventured into makeup—until now. While the maison has long embraced fragrance, cosmetics remained uncharted territory. That changes with the launch of La Beauté Louis Vuitton, its debut makeup line, led by none other than the legendary Dame Pat McGrath as creative director.
McGrath, who has dreamed up unforgettable beauty looks for Louis Vuitton’s runway shows for over two decades, revealed in March that she has been quietly developing the collection for the past four years. In an interview with Vogue, she shared her excitement about finally unveiling the project: “People have been asking me for years, ‘When is makeup coming for Louis Vuitton?’ Now I can finally say it’s happening.” She emphasized that this is not just another cosmetics line, but a high-craftsmanship endeavor that merges Louis Vuitton’s rich heritage with cutting-edge innovation. “The beauty universe is about so much more than just product,” she said in a statement, “And what we are creating here will unlock a new level in luxury beauty.”
Since its founding in 1854, Louis Vuitton has often incorporated elements of beauty into its offerings, from its custom vanity cases to its early 20th century powder compacts, brushes, and mirrors. McGrath was given full access to those archives during the development process, resulting in each product designed to be an objet d’art—as luxurious on the outside as its formula is inside.
Dame Pat McGrath
About those formulas: At the core of the collection is its LV Rouge lineup—a range of 55 lipsticks crafted from upcycled rose, jasmine, and mimosa flowers enriched with shea butter and hyaluronic acid and featuring long-lasting pigments and hydration. In what the maison says is a first for makeup, the lipsticks have been infused with a special fragrance crafted by McGrath in collaboration Louis Vuitton Master Perfumer, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud. For those who prefer a sheerer finish, 10 shades of LV Baume offer a lightweight, luminous glow with a scent of mint and raspberry. Eight eye palettes (LV Ombres) round out the collection and, in keeping with McGrath’s iconic artistry, feature just the right amount of sparkle for everyday wear.
Hoyeon stars in the La Beauté Louis Vuitton campaign photographed by Steven Meisel.
It wouldn’t be a true Louis Vuitton launch without an emphasis on travel, and so the house has debuted limited edition small leather goods for carrying the precious merchandise as well as a full vanity trunk inspired by a 1920s version conceived by Gaston-Louis Vuitton but befitting modern-day beauty mavens today.
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
The collection will be available starting August 29 in slect Louis Vuitton stores and on louisvuitton.com with prices ranging from $69 for an LV Rouge or LV Baume refill to $250 for the LV Ombre eye palette.
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