I have been surprised at the number of fashion houses taking up the beauty mantle once they have established their fashion labels. Without exception, they are all doing it so well, producing beauty products of excellence that also further symbolise their fashion ethos. There is a natural link; to do fashion well, you need to understand women and aesthetics. Following on with beauty can easily be the next logical step, which so many fashion houses have now proven.
One of the pioneers in a fashion label also offering beauty products was Coco Chanel. In 1910, she launched the Chanel fashion house. Then, in 1921, she launched her first fragrance, Chanel No. 5. She obviously spent so much time and research getting it right that it is still, to this day, one of Chanel’s biggest sellers. Today, Chanel offers a full selection of not just fragrance, but makeup and skincare as well, all with the same level of timelessness and excellence.
Dior followed, launching fashion in 1947, then their beauty line in 1986. Today, both houses offer a full complement of beauty products from skincare, fragrance, to makeup. Dior Beauty is a firm favourite of many actresses and royalty to this day. Givenchy followed the trend. In 1952, they launched fashion with a key emphasis on separates. Their route to first-class beauty was a little different. Audrey Hepburn started to wear their fashion label in 1954 for her film Sabrina. Hubert de Givenchy and Audrey struck up a friendship which lasted until she passed away. She was a combination of friend and muse. Hubert de Givenchy was heard to say following her death that “She was an enchantress, truly inspiring and beauty and fairies never disappear altogether.” Audrey was the inspiration behind Givenchy’s fashion as well as their beauty products. Before any Givenchy beauty product was launched, Audrey had to give it her seal of approval.
In 1957, Givenchy launched its first beauty offering, L’Interdit, a fragrance, which is just as popular today. Audrey absolutely loved it. It smelled like her, totally feminine with a little bit of fun thrown in. In 1989, Givenchy launched makeup and then skincare. Le Prisme Visage, which was a 4-in-1 face powder, was one of Givenchy’s early beauty products which was much loved by Audrey. This product revolutionised makeup as it was four variants of colour, which could be applied separately or mixed together depending on the colour and texture needs of the user’s skin. This product is still one of their top makeup sellers.
Hermès was way before Chanel on the fashion scene. In 1837, they launched their accessories label. They did not launch beauty until much later. They launched their candles and perfume in 2014. Then in 2020, Hermès launched their lipsticks. I understand that they did not want to bring out any other beauty products until they felt they were 100 per cent representative of the high Hermès standard. Nail polishes followed and recently makeup was launched. The Hermès beauty products are proving to be must-have products, just like their fashion.
Tom Ford launched his fashion label in 2005 and by 2006 he had signed with Estée Lauder to distribute and oversee. In 2022, Estée Lauder bought the Tom Ford beauty business. The essence of Tom Ford beauty is, and always will be, glamour and class. This is reflected in each and every product, whether it is fashion or beauty, that Tom Ford brings out. His latest lipsticks, for example, come in some of the most beautiful shades imaginable.
One of the latest fashion brands to start making beauty products was La Perla. The brand launched in 1954, specialising in evening wear, lingerie, and swimwear. Women today still dream of the opportunity to own a wardrobe of La Perla lingerie. In 2019, La Perla launched a selection of unique fragrances. Lipsticks, mascaras, and eyebrow products are now available with more products on the way. Each product is as special as the sought-after lingerie which is their trademark. One of their first makeup products was their lipsticks, which are available in refills, making them much more environmentally friendly. I feel sure that fashion brands also bringing out beauty products will be the norm and not the exception, following on from the great success which these brands have been able to achieve.
This article was first published in the Winter issue of Retail Beauty:
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