Available in stores in the US from 5 August, French design house Chanel’s latest offering, Le Rouge Collection Number 1, is a celebration of all things red. With actress Kristen Stewart as the brand ambassador for this collection, the images, and the products, are quite spectacular. Baroque Access takes a look
Chanel’s Fall make up collection, Le Rouge Collection Number 1, with the luxury designer brand’s ambassador, Kristen Stewart at its helm is the first collection designed by Lucia Pica, since she became Chanel’s global creative designer for make-up and color at the end of 2014. The new Fall collection was launched in Europe at the end of July and is now available in the US.
For her first collection, Pica created a magical interpretation of the color red. She worked together with photographer Max Farago and filmmaker Clara Cullen to document this creative journey and her inspiration. This is Kristen Stewart’s first make-up campaign and she is delighted with the concept and the colors that were created. But then, who wouldn’t be delighted with Chanel’s iconic make-up products? Each one is quite spectacular, unique and of the highest quality, exactly what one would expect from such a famous French design house.
To Kristen Stewart, the campaign isn’t just about red lipstick. She loved experimenting with the colors in the range, finding exotic alternative to everyday make-up trends. To Stewart, wearing make-up is about “taking what you naturally have and enhancing it so it doesn’t feel like a mask”. Pica has created all of the colors in the latest collection to harmonize with each other, so they are all in different shades of red, or feature a red undertone. The collection comprises an eye shadow palette, six lip colors, nail varnishes, mascara, blush, eye and lip liners, all in warm and earthy hues.
According to Pica, Chanel has strong associations with the color red. Apparently, Coco Chanel used to say: “I love the color red, it is the color of life and the color of blood”. She was also known to have said, “Put your red lipstick on and attack!” And it is this power of being a woman as well as the color’s femininity that made Pica choose this color for her first collection.
Pica said she also designed the collection around “quick, effective and bold ways of doing make-up”. She reiterates what Kristen Stewart felt about the collection. “I want to use make-up to reflect a character, not create a disguise,” she says. “I want to enhance what is there.”
Pica’s approach to make-up is fresh and modern. “It is OK if you don’t perfectly apply your eye make-up or that your lipstick is a bit faded,” she explains. “You are living in it. Glamour can live. You can still think, live your life and wear lipstick.”