The perfect synergy of stylish, sporty and glam, Michael Kors’ inaugural cosmetics venture has reshaped the rules of designer beauty. Samantha Hamilton-Rushforth asks the billion dollar mogul to reveal the modern beauty mottos you should be living by…
Chanel has Diane Kruger, Dior got dibs on Natalie Portman and as for Michael Kors? Well, when he launched his eponymous beauty collection earlier this year, he cited none other than his beautiful mother as his muse.
And that was just the start. When it came to making the leap from the catwalk to the beauty counter, Kors, ever a trendsetter, decided to go against every fashion-to-make-up mould that went before him. Choosing his lip and nail shades in a timeless spectrum, the designer (who counts the Duchess of Cambridge and Michelle Obama as fans), edited the collection down to the kind of high-glamour, low-effort essentials that the modern Michael Kors woman has been craving.
Approaching the new 21-piece launch (containing cosmetics, fragrance and tanning products) with the unwavering confidence that only a successful tycoon could muster, the New York native was excited, but certainly not fazed by the daunting prospect of translating his DNA into the make-up world. “I think about beauty the same way that I think about fashion. It’s about a heightened sense of reality, being the best version of yourself,” he casually remarked. We certainly don’t blame his nonchalant demeanour. Going by the blueprints we’ve seen on the catwalk and in his larger-than-life ad campaigns we’re thrilled to finally have the tools to recreate his all-American Glamazons complete with luminous, healthy skin and a worthy-of-the-Hamptons summer tan.
Designed to emulate a capsule wardrobe for the face, the line is split into three distinctive colour combinations dubbed stylish, sporty and glam, personality traits that epitomise the Kors ideal. “Most women have all three inside of them. And sometimes they turn the volume up or down on one of those three elements, depending on the mood or the moment,” according to the big boss. Like classic items in your closet that transcend seasons, each shade in his beauty collection is designed to work for every woman regardless of her personal tastes. “With a wardrobe, it’s a great black dress, a classic trench coat and jeans that make your figure look amazing. With make-up, you need colours like a healthy nude, a bold pink and a timeless red. The collection is super versatile because it’s customisable – and it will never go out of style.”
Forgoing the standard foundation and powder face-makers at the nucleus of his collection, Kors, as always, marched to his own beauty beat and instead created a superb line of bronzing and tanning products as the main mode of skin-perfecting – an alternative much more fitting of his high-glamour aesthetic. “Make-up should not be a mask. The Kors woman exudes an easy, carefree beauty that looks like it took about two seconds. Don’t cover the texture of your skin. It should glow. This collection gives you that effect – it’s easy and attainable.”
As the cornerstone of every woman’s look, a flawless complexion also transforms into a lifestyle accessory for the jet-setting designer, “the real foundation of beauty is healthy, glowing skin. That glow may take on different hues, but it always sends the same message. It always equals a life well lived.” Translated into his current beauty ad campaigns featuring the impossibly gorgeous Karmen Pedaru, this “life well lived” look is showcased by the beautiful model stepping out of a helicopter wearing lashings of fur, impeccable make-up and a pageant-worthy blow-dry.
A slightly overzealous interpretation of the Kors beauty look yes, but luckily, the most important offering from his new venture doesn’t even require purchasing: “I travel a lot and whether I’m in Hong Kong or LA, the most beautiful women are always the ones who have confidence in their style and make-up that illuminates their own natural beauty. If you are confident, you’ll look fantastic. That’s universal.” Helicopter not included.
(From Left to Right): Nail Lacquer in stylish sensation Dhs99, Nail Lacquer in sporty gossip Dhs99, Nail Lacquer in glam desire Dhs99, Lip Luster in Sporty muse Dhs160, Sporty Citrus Eau de Parfum Dhs360, Lip Lacquer in stylish bombshell Dhs145, Lip Lacquer in Sporty diva Dhs145, Liquid Tan Self-Tanner Dhs155, Lip Luster in stylish siren Dhs160, Lip Luster in glam icon Dhs160
Michael Kors Beauty is available from Sephora, The Dubai Mall.
Illustrations: Ignacio
