The Make-Up Artist’s Make-Up Brand – Why We Love Illamasqua AUTHOR admin DATE May 1, 2014
Cat Woods tells us how Illamasqua has grown from cult make-up brand to high street favourite under the divine direction of make-up artist Alex Box. Theatre of the Nameless. Freak. Toxic Nature. Throb. Paranormal. The Sacred Hour. Believe it or not these are titillating cabaret shows nor the latest Nine Inch Nails track list, but the names of cosmetics giant Illamasqua’s make-up collections. Just how did this British makeup-as-avante garde-art brand manage to lure mainstream buyers to embrace navy blue lipstick and goth-white foundation? In London, 2008 Illamasqua launched. With a cult following in the film and theatre world, where makeup artistry reigns, Illamasqua seduced the high street with the promise of a brand that champions self-expression and embraces imperfection as the hallmarks of beauty. Founded by Julian Kynaston, a Yorkshire-born lad with no previous experience in make-up, and Creative Director, Alex Box, the brand has gone from the London club scene to now sell in almost 100 stores globally. Illamasqua retails all over Britain, in America, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Croatia and South East Asia. Did Alex Box envision Illamasqua having mass market appeal? “It’s always a role of the dice,” she muses. “You have a dream and a message and hopefully, as they say, ‘build it, and they will