Some designers refuse to collaborate at all. Others partner up with every fashion-related endeavor under the sun. But some fashion industry denizens are taking an out-of-the-box approach to creative partnerships, bringing their style know-how to the beauty industry instead of, say, the realm of fast fashion. Design for your wardrobe, design for your face — the correlation makes sense. Let’s take a look at five fashion industry figures who’ve made the leap into beauty:
Lipsticks from Tom Ford Beauty, a line that grew out of a collaboration with Estée Lauder.
1. Tom Ford for Estée Lauder: With his original 2005 Estée Lauder collaboration, the former Gucci creative director kicked off a small wave of designer-beauty brand partnerships. Tom Ford for Estée Lauder was short-lived, however, and intentionally so — the beauty giant turned the collection into a permanent, standalone Tom Ford beauty line in 2006.
A preview of designer Gareth Pugh’s forthcoming collection with MAC Cosmetics.
2. Gareth Pugh for MAC: Pugh, the fashion-forward Lady Gaga designer favorite, admits that even he uses MAC Cosmetics, so a partnership with the beauty brand seems natural. Not that there’s anything natural-looking about the upcoming 18-piece collection — Pugh’s dark and stormy aesthetic has been translated into an array of dark pigments and angular packaging. The limited-edition line will be available from November 23 to December 23.
3. Ksubi for Kiehl’s: Old-school American beauty company Kiehl’s has made it a habit to shake up their packaging on a yearly basis with limited edition styles from various fashion labels. This year, they’re offering a look from denim mainstay Ksubi. (Past years have included Sass & Bide and swimwear line Zimmermann.)
Karl Lagerfeld’s new mini-collection for Sephora also includes…a Karl doll.
4. Karl Lagerfeld for Sephora: Okay, so Lagerfeld actually collaborates extensively, but his latest endeavor is too good to leave off this list. The designer’s new line for Sephora includes an eye palette and nail polish, and totally inexplicably, a Karl lookalike doll. We’re going to have to get this mailed home from friends abroad — the range is only available at physical outposts of Sephora in Europe and Singapore.
The designer Chris Benz offered stylish, playful packaging for his “Chris & Tell” Lancôme lipstick.
5. Chris Benz for Lancôme: The up-and-coming designer and CFDA award-winner has yet to dip a toe into the world of fast fashion. However, he’s already partnered twice with the venerable Parisian beauty brand Lancôme, first on a single lipstick and then on a complete beauty product-filled summer tote. Both of these limited editions have come and gone, so we’re holding out for a new Benz-Lancôme mash-up in the near future.
