Is the colour cosmetic industry the next step for designers and celebrities?

London – The cosmetics industry has always been seen as the as
the two go hand in hand. However, over the years more and more fashion
brands have begun to encroach on the with the launch of their own
in-house cosmetic ranges, which in turn has led to colour comestic brands
seeking out innovative ways to stand out – namely through designer and
celebrity collaborations.

Last week saw designer Victoria Beckham announce the launch of her upcoming
debut make-up range with Estee Lauder, LVMH sign a deal with artist Rihanna
to develop a full make-up collection as well as singer Katy Perry reveal
her upcoming colour cosmetic range with Covergirl, raising the question: is
the colour cosmetic industry the next extremity for the fashion industry?

Get excited
fashion bunnies! My #VBxEsteeLauder collection launches autumn winter 2016
x vb

A photo posted by Victoria
Beckham (@victoriabeckham) on Apr
15, 2016 at 10:35am PDT

The colour cosmetic industry embraces designer and celebrity
collaborations

Although the colour cosmetic partnerships will not be the celebrities first
forays into the world of beauty – with Beckham previously launching two
nail polished with Nails Inc in 2014 and Rihanna teaming up with MAC
Cosmetics to launch a make-up line – the collaborations highlight
the continuous shift occurring with the beauty industry – namely working
with a celebrity or designer. Over the years numerous fashion brands teamed
up with famous singers, designers and models to create capsule collections,
tapping into their fame and desirability as a person of interest.

Now the colour cosmetic market seems to tapping into this avenue as
interest in celebrity fragrance continues to wane. Elizabeth Arden, the
company known for producing fragrances for Britney Spears, Justin Bieber
and Nicki Minaj, reported a decrease of 4 percent of its non-Elizabeth
Arden branded fragrances for the second quarter of its fiscal year 2016,
whilst figures from NPD Group show the celebrity fragrance category
declined to less than 2 percent of fragrance market in 2014.

“”Makeup is the one category that’s hotter than fragrances and/or skin
care”

“Makeup is the one category that’s hotter than fragrances and/or skin care,
and…at the high-end there aren’t many makeup artist or celebrity
products,” said industry consultant Allan Mottus to WWD. “What’s going to
happen now is we’re going to see a rush of this stuff. It’s going to be
like 2002 with celebrity fragrances.”

A photo posted by Fashion Bomb Daily
(@fashionbombdaily) on Apr
14, 2016 at 7:44am PDT

Considering that colour cosmetics enjoyed of its best years in 2014 due to
increasing consumer confidence and the influence of digital and social
media, according to Euromonitor International, it seems likely that more
designers and celebrities will be dipping their toes into the premium end
of the industry. Considering premium cosmetics is a rapidly growing
category – growing 13 percent in 2015 according to NPD Group – it seems
more likely that a prestige brand will embark on a celebrity or designer
collaboration, rather than a mass-market brand.

However, in order to ensure that the make-up collection is a true success,
colour cosmetic brands should aim to work with a person of interest who has
a “lifestyle following,” believes Mottus. “Either they need to have some
credible experience in the industry, like Drew Barrymore, who started as a
spokesperson for CoverGirl…or have some sort of life-changing event or
some sort of personal ethos that they’re able to bring into the market,”
added Martin Okner, managing director at SHM Corporate Navigators.

This is evident in the latest collaborations – Rihanna is known for her
unique look and LVMH’s Kendo incubator has signed an agreement with the
artist to create a full make-up range known as Fenty Beauty, which is set
to launch next year autumn. Considering that Kendo is also behind tattoo
artist Kat Von D and designer Marc Jacobs highly successful make-up lines,
it is likely that Rihanna’s range will be a runaway hit.

So excited to
announce my new limited edition makeup collection for @esteelauder! Coming
this Autumn Winter 2016 x vb #VBxEsteeLauder

A video posted by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham)
on Apr 15, 2016 at
7:06am PDT

Beckham’s collaboration with Estee Lauder, schedule to launch this
September at selected retailers and online, is also likely to appeal to a
wide audience, something the cosmetic company has taken into consideration
as it aims to ensure the range offers both everyday wearability and
quality, whilst reflecting Beckham’s own view on make-up. “The whole
process has been both inspiring and eye-opening – from going back and
revisiting the Estée Lauder archives through to working on the product with
the Estée team, this feels like the perfect make-up partnership for me and
my brand,” said the designer on the collaboration.

“I had long admired Estée Lauder the woman, and the powerful brand that she
created, so I am excited to offer both of our customers this make-up range
and play a small part in her vision for women.” Jane Hertzmark Hudis, group
president for Estée Lauder, added: “Victoria is an entrepreneur in the true
spirit of our founder, Estée Lauder, with a real understanding of what
women want, and a commitment to making women look and feel their most
beautiful. Victoria has a passion for beauty and we are delighted to
welcome her into our brand.”