Legend has it that in 1957 when Hubert de Givenchy created a fragrance exclusively for his muse & dear friend Audrey Hepburn and then asked if he could commercialize it, her emphatic response was “je vous l’interdis!” (“I forbid you”), and thus the name of that legendary scent was born. Fast forward to the present with the release of L’Interdit Givenchy, the new incarnation of an icon that pays homage to the original … without breaking any promises. Something tells me that Ms. Hepburn would approve.
The tradition began in 2002 where each December, Karl Lagerfeld began unveiling a collection dedicated to CHANEL’s Métiers d’Art — the specialist manufacturers behind the exquisite detailing found on the House’s fashion & accessories. This past December 2nd, the show was held in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art with the spectacular Temple of Dendur as backdrop, hinting at the theme of the collection itself. For an armchair archaeologist like myself, I can’t even begin to express my feelings at this fusion of two of my passions: Ancient Egypt & beauty … be still my beating heart.
The venue: The Temple of Dendur, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Paying homage to the grandeur of ancient Egypt via the use of colour, sumptuous fabrics, opulent jewels, and Pharaonic-inspired makeup looks, the entire effect was breathtaking, to say the least. By using artfully drawn liner around the eyes while keeping the rest of the face (and nails) relatively neutral, Lucia Pica easily captured the essence of the collection, allowing every facet to work in perfect harmony.
The Face: Les Beiges Teint Belle MineNaturelle, Les Pinceaux de CHANEL – Pinceau Fond de Teint, pinceau Duo Correcteur Rétractable brush, Palette Essentielle, Le Correcteur de CHANEL
The Brows: Stylo Sourcils Waterproof, Le Gel Sourcils
From the gorgeous metallic fabrics (of which I can’t get enough of), to the sublime craftsmanship of the beadwork, I am in awe of how these period details have been incorporated into the designs, making them both fashion-forward yet still maintaining a regal timelessness
I don’t even care if this beaded corset isn’t practical; I would wear it daily just because
A golden mummy-inspired hand wrap? Yes please
Another piece I have been missing in my wardrobe, yet never realized it: a beaded overskirt
Métiers d’Art 2018/19 Paris-New York Backstage CHANEL show
Starting off 2019 with some beauty luxury, and in my opinion, few brands can touch Louboutin when it comes to opulence, wouldn’t you agree? For Christian Louboutin, eyes have always been the most expressive part of the face, which is why he created Tape À L’Oeil (a French expression meaning “eye-catching“). The actual product aside, I’d probably want these for the packaging alone: definitely eye-catching and display-worthy to the max.
Once Christmas passes, I begin anticipating the warmer weather with all the new beauty collections it brings, and first out of the gate for Spring/Summer 2019 is CHANEL’s Vision d’Asie: L’Art du Détail. Embarking on a photographic journey through Japan and South Korea, Lucia Pica — the brand’s head of makeup — was inspired by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi: the art of seeing preciousness in imperfection, thereby elevating the mundane into something so much more. In the end, it’s about the interplay between shadow & light along with classic tones paired up against unexpected pops of colour … and it all just totally works.
It’s Christmas Eve and while hopefully most of you have long completed your holiday shopping, there are some people who may still need a gift (or two), and I’ve got some interesting options from Laura Mercier to show you. From everything I’ve tried thus far, I can’t help but be impressed by the products, and find that all the gift sets are beautifully curated as well. My guess is that the only problem you’ll face, is in narrowing down which to pick up (spoiler: you can’t go wrong with any).
Beauty Journalist & proud Montrealer with a passion for beauty in all its fabulous diversity.
"Beauty begins the moment you choose to be yourself" - Coco Chanel
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