Ben Gorham, founder of Byredo, and Isamaya Ffrench, talented make-up artist, tell us about the genesis of their first make-up collection.

L&#39;Officiel: After years of creation in the perfume field, what prompted you to launch a make-up line?

Ben Gorham:&nbsp;I created Byredo almost fifteen years ago, and I first focused on the fragrance. Five years ago, the desire to get into cosmetics and makeup clearly emerged. At the same time, I got acquainted with the work of Isamaya. Beyond her talent, I had the feeling that she and I shared the fact of belonging to the same industry, but with very different backgrounds from those of our peers. After meeting her, it became clear that she was the perfect person for this project. My first battle was to realize that I didn&#39;t know anything about makeup! Isamaya guided me. The idea of timelessness was also one of the pillars of this creative process. I have used old objects as references, pieces which it is difficult to say whether they were created yesterday or three millennia ago.

How did your collaboration go?

Isamaya Ffrench:&nbsp;Our first discussions revolved around color, so we were trying to find common references. Color is my passion, and I wanted to create a flagship product for Byredo. This gave birth to the Color Sticks series. 
BG:&nbsp;Product creation is a very emotional process for me. I always hope to create a special bond with my clients, and the dialogue I have initiated with Isamaya is the perfect illustration of this. Isamaya, you have worked with many cosmetic brands.

What convinced you to embark on this ambitious project with Byredo, and what were your inspirations for this collection? 
IF:&nbsp;I had no desire to create yet another brand without particular specificity. If we were to embark on this adventure, we really had to do things differently from others. I wanted to put self-expression at the heart of the creative process, and imagine a new way of looking at makeup, something more conceptual than what you can see throughout advertising campaigns. In my opinion, there was a real place to be taken in the market in terms of pure color, and I wanted to create tools worthy of professional artists. This is how our Color Library Byredo was born. I was inspired by the colors of landscapes that I like to obtain a full range of shades. The result is the 16 Color Sticks, with formulations ranging from matte to glossy.

How do you think fragrance and makeup complement each other?

BG:&nbsp;When I created Byredo, it seemed absurd to me to have separate scents for men and women. I consider that this also applies to makeup and color. This fluidity puts us on the path to positive development in my opinion. In addition, makeup also has a scent and I had two scents in mind, related to violet and iris, which reminded me of the eyeshadows of the 80s and 90s that my mother wore, but also very current vanilla notes. . I wanted to bring another level of sophistication with fruity and floral touches, which gave our lipsticks their unique scent.

Byredo_Makeup_Group-1.jpg

The makeup industry is evolving a lot and raising debates about its inclusiveness. Would you say that makeup can be a vector of empowerment and have a societal impact, and if so to what extent?

BG:&nbsp;Our primary mission on this project was first to use color to tell different stories, to encourage people to express themselves in their individuality.

IF:&nbsp;I have the impression that the time has come for greater creativity when it comes to make-up, in particular because of the emergence of social networks, the way in which we are rethinking the criteria of beauty and the appearance of &#39;a certain gender fluidity. It&#39;s all about ownership, self-expression. People with black skin, for example, wear blue or green on their lips; it redefines the standards, and it&#39;s sublime. I find all these issues fascinating, and they fueled my thinking when I developed the Color Sticks. We also wanted to rethink our means of communication. We did not want to have a frozen representation with a specific model, nor to define &ldquo;the Byredo woman&rdquo; in an exclusive way. We therefore opted for a campaign designed by a digital artist, a daring bet that allowed us to convey the philosophy and aesthetics of our vision through a 3D image.

Who are the muses or artists who inspired you in the development of this collection?

IF:&nbsp;Yves Tumor was a major influence. He is an incredible performer, and an authentic musician. I&#39;m not used to referring to specific muses in general, but I must say that the Giulia and Camilla Venturini binoculars are a perfect match for our Corporate Color palette.

What beauty trends do you love and hate?

IF:&nbsp;I love to erase the eyebrows, and I hate the single brow trend!

A lot of women find it hard to step out of their comfort zone when it comes to makeup. What advice would you give them to help them experience more?

IF:&nbsp;Try warm, metallic hues. An ideal option for infusing a bit of novelty without going too far. Coppery hues, metallic browns and bronze colors are great alternatives to classic smokies.

If you had to keep only three essentials from your collection, what would they be?

IF:&nbsp;The Color Sticks to begin with. This is the first product I imagined for Byredo, and I love that everyone can have their favorite product among the wide range of shades. I would also mention mascara, its brush is very small which allows you to reach the level of the lashes with precision. And finally, the lip balm, composed of 99% natural oils, very nourishing and moisturizing.

Products available exclusively at Galeries Lafayette and on the Byredo site.

Ben Gorham and Isamaya Ffrench launch a Make Up Collection

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