Over the years, Louis Vuitton has quietly carried beauty at its core. From its iconic steamer trunk and vanity cases to its signature jewellery collections and redolent perfumes, the famed fashion house has always been at the forefront of innovation and craft, setting the standard for fashionable, elegant luxury goods of all sorts.
Now it finally brings its savoir faire to the makeup counter. With Dame Pat McGrath DBE on board as creative director of cosmetics, Louis Vuitton unveils La Beauté. Dubbed as the most influential makeup artist in the world by Vogue and a Time Magazine “100 Most Influential People” list recipient, McGrath is a once-in-a-generation visionary. From her transformative runway looks to her culture-shifting editorial work, she has shaped the language of modern makeup. For La Beauté, she does it again. “I always like to push boundaries with makeup—and this métier is no different.”
McGrath takes her vast knowledge of formulation, pairs it with her immense creativity and distills it into a tight collection of lipsticks, lip balms, and eyeshadows. Within those three products, though, lies an expansive range of colour and texture to play with. It starts with LV Rouge—the lipstick available in matte and satin finishes, that grounds the entire collection. Each lushly pigmented shade in the expansive range, from siren red to dusty pink and most everything in-between, was uniquely crafted and selected by McGrath to be universally flattering for all skin tones.
Beyond the colour, the lipstick’s sensorial performance is one of one. Formulated with natural waxes from up-cycled flowers, shea butter, and hyaluronic acid, LV Rouge delivers ultra-long wear without compromising on moisture.
The lipstick’s counterpart is LV Baume, a lighter, more sheer lip offering. With a slight shimmer, the balms come in 10 different shades. Formulated with the same hydrating elements as the lipstick, LV Baume’s ultra-light finish makes it perfect for everyday wear. The La Beauté collection is rounded out by a powerhouse eyeshadow palette, offered in eight unique colourways. Each palette is composed of three wearable, universal shades and one standout. The bold hue is meant to complement the rest, while adding a sense of dynamism, dimension, intrigue, and glamour.
“With product development, I have always been obsessed with the smallest of details: the perfection needed in product texture, the precise application methods, just the right amount of pigment pay-off, and how products should make you feel,” McGrath says.
That attention to detail is evident throughout the collection. Each choice is as beautiful and intentional as the products themselves. With 27 shades in a creamy satin finish and 28 matte options, the total number of shades in the collection (55) nods to the brand’s initials in Roman numeral form (LV). And working with Louis Vuitton master perfumer, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, each lip product has been infused with a bespoke fragrance blend of mimosa, jasmine, and rose in the lipstick, and mint and raspberry in the balms. More than just products, La Beauté is the expression of identity, artistry, and empowerment.
In a world of ever-changing beauty standards, this collection feels both timeless and trendy. With such a visionary at the helm, La Beauté is sure to become an industry standard-setting staple. But that’s nothing out of the ordinary from a brand with such a rich history of style, innovation, and craft.
Louis Vuitton La Beauté is available in stores and online starting August 29th. For more info and to sign up to pre-order the collection visit louisvuitton.com.
