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
come’. We knew we would polarize at first; some would love us, some wouldn’t, but we didn’t set out to be passively accepted.” Campaigns so far have included Toxic Nature, I’mPerfection, Generation Q, Art of Darkness and Paranormal. Though every collection includes dramatic and unique colours and textures in the campaign, once the products are seen in store, it is easy to translate them into everyday looks. Alex refers to the campaigns as her children and only reluctantly concedes to having a favourite. “I have a super soft spot for Toxic Nature as it was so incredibly fairytale. I had been looking through all my illustrative tales like Alice Through The Looking Glass and Grimms’ Fairy Tales. I started to weave an Illamasqua daydream world. David, our product developer, had been thinking about the environment fighting back, as it was the time of the ash cloud, and was looking at toxic colours. Lurking inside every fairy tale there is a wolf or a poisoned apple.” Generation Q was a groundbreaking 2013 campaign, featuring models from various parts of the UK with no prior modelling experience. Models were all ages, from 20 to 80, of diverse ethnic lineage and with unique takes on how makeup plays a role in their identity. “I always dreamed about doing something like this,” said Southport ambassador, Evelyn. “ As a young girl I’d stare out of my school window and close my eyes and imagine the big city’s bright lights lighting up my face. That might be why my first job as a 10 year old was to be a magician’s assistant. I used to love putting on my mum’s make-up before every show.My next job was slightly less glamourous – I delivered papers – but even then I’d always make sure I went out on my bike looking my best. Over the years I’ve spent 1000s and 1000s of hours pouring over beauty counters. I used to love experimenting. It’s always been a part of who I am. I am Evelyn, and I am 72 years old.” “There are no rules with makeup,” Head of Illamasqua Australia, Mikele Simone explains. “Flaws are not to be hidden but celebrated! I think our ‘Generation Q’ campaign was very effective in celebrating individual self-expression. It delivered the message to everybody, everywhere, that beauty is not young, old, black, white, male or female, but anything, everything and everyone. We featured all different types of women and men in our campaign from all ages adorned in makeup looks that other brands have stood against, like shimmers on mature women.” Thrilling fans and taunting the traditional idea of a separate and season-appropriate product for cheeks, eyes, lips and brows with every ad campaign released, it comes as no surprise that Illamasqua is the first makeup brand to cross over the final frontier, literally offering their makeup services to the deceased. Joining forces with UK funeral directors, Leverton and Sons, their elite makeup artists have been trained in the specific application of makeup to embalmed skin. Will this initiative prompt a similar collaboration in Australia? Mikele admits, “Nothing [is planned] of yet. Customers have told me that they think it’s a great idea because if you are loyal to a brand, then why not wear the brand you love going into your after life?” Such dedication to the brand is fostered through encouraging customers to attend the counter and discuss their desired look with the professional makeup artists in-store. More than a marketing
tool, this is part of Illamasqua’s determination to educate cosmetics consumers in how to choose products wisely and then how to use them to achieve various looks. The artists at Illamasqua pick one or two products one can blend, apply to both lips and cheeks, dilute or intensify. This education has extended beyond the counter to the digital realm. The Illamasqua UK website offers video tutorials and an immensely popular makeup artistry course. In Australia, Mikele is excited about the offerings ahead in the 2014. “I can’t give too much away as it’s all secrets,” he confides, “but new textures, new extensions to already popular products and definitely more show-stopping campaigns. This year the focus will begin with flawless skin so watch out for new things that have never been seen before in the market.” For Alex Box, the goals are clear. “To keep surprising and keep the torch burning for creativity to glow in a commercial environment.” Shop now: http://www.illamasqua.com/ Read more from Cat Woods: Http://catcore.blogspot.com/