Olivier Rousteing and his fierce team at Balmain have teamed with L’Oréal to bring us a collection of truly beautiful lipsticks.
With a slogan like “United, We Are Invincible,” it’s clear the powerhouses want to use makeup to send a positive message about inclusivity.
The capsule collection of 12 couture matte shades by Color Riche will be available to buy from September and we simply cannot wait.
Luckily, we have some fabulous images to gorge on until then.
The collection consists of 12 matte lipsticks in varying shades of nude (hallelujah), as well as some bold colours that will simply electrify on any skin tone.
The idea behind the kick-ass campaign is that of 12 powerful women storming Paris rooftops at dawn, with Rousteing serving as the pied piper of beauty (yes, seriously).
The women are each individual, from varying backgrounds and ethnicities, but they come together to form an army of beauty for Balmain and L’Oréal.
There are three ‘tribes’ to choose from: Rock, Couture and Glamazone each in four shades designed for a variety of complexions.
An army of beauty, indeed. Rousteing has never been shy about his championing of all women, with his own tribe of black, white, curvy, petite and other variables in between constantly being represented in his campaigns.
If you haven’t seen the Campbell/Iman/Rihanna editorial for W magazine, you should.
In January of this year, Rousteing told 1843 magazine that his upbringing was “really bourgeois and really conservative,” which is the opposite of his personal taste and style.
“I don’t like... people who are trying to kill your dream,” he continued.
This sense of rebelliousness not only permeates his empire - from his collections to his marketing strategy - but now, too, this capsule with L’Oréal.
L’Oreal, too, are in the game of rebelling.
One of the first major brands to embrace, rather than shun the world of bloggers, influencers et al., the Parisian cosmetics giant has used the power of innovation to stay ahead of the curve.
To say this is a match made in heaven is an understatement.
In a statement released today Rousteing said:
“Of course, after years of celebrating the beauty of inclusion and diversity, there was no way I would agree to partner on a beauty line unless it celebrated all of us.”
It’s refreshing to see someone so successful remain true to theirself - and others.