We beauty editors had been hearing mutterings of a Louis Vuitton makeup collection for a while by the time that the French powerhouse, renowned for its monogrammed goods and iconic trunks, made it official back in February this year.
And it all sounded pretty promising: arriving nearly a decade after the brand’s refined return to fragrance under master perfumer Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud (its initial olfactory foray dates back to 1946), La Beauté Louis Vuitton makeup collection would land in late summer 2025, with legendary British make-up artist Pat McGrath at the helm as creative director.
As the announcement made waves, McGrath was deep in the backstage frenzy of fashion week, having already crafted looks for no fewer than 15 Autumn/Winter 2025 shows. A long-time collaborator of Louis Vuitton, she has been shaping beauty behind the scenes of its runway presentations for more than two decades.
“I have been creating make-up looks for Louis Vuitton for many years,” McGrath said in a statement. “People have been asking me… When is make-up coming for Louis Vuitton? Now I can finally say it’s happening.”
“The beauty universe is about so much more than just products, and what we are creating here will unlock a new level in luxury beauty.”
Finally — praise be — launch day is set for this coming Friday, 29 August, when the collection will land with 55 matte and satin LV Rouge Lipsticks, 10 LV Baume Lip Balms, eight eyeshadow palettes, blotting papers, a small leather vanity case and a traditional monogrammed lipstick trunk.
All of the makeup is refillable, and the collection will be available at Louis Vuitton Stores, Louis Vuitton online and at Harrods in the UK.
I was lucky enough to receive a small preview of the products earlier this week, trying the burnished red 896 Monogram Rouge Lipstick, the 051 Monogram Touch Baume — a sheer interpretation of the aforementioned — plus the Monogram Rouge eyeshadow palette, a refined, elegant pigment edit that combines a selection of my favourite deep red, rich brown and caramel tones.
I’d hazard a guess that beauty addicts like myself will find themselves captivated by this collection. It is — after all — every bit as theatrical, luxurious and sensorial as one would expect. The attention to detail is flawless. The packaging is show-stopping — sculptural, heavy, gleaming, and with that ever-thrilling click.
The lipsticks and balms are — naturally — scented with olfactory blends crafted by the much-loved Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, the former carrying a bespoke blend of mimosa, jasmine and rose, the latter emitting a whisper of mint and raspberry.
Unsurprisingly too, when I finally took the plunge and committed to interfering with the embossed perfection of these objets d’art, the pigments were — across the board — lush, plush and perfectly polished to Vuitton’s (and of course Pat’s), famously exacting standards. This is undeniably excellent stuff.
It has to be said that such is the beauty of these items, that one can’t help but wonder whether some will think them better suited to an elegant bureau or collectors cabinet than a dusty old makeup bag. And don’t we all — despite our best efforts — have dusty old makeup bags?
So herein lies the tension: At £120 for a lipstick — which these are — (Chanel, Dior and Prada lippies come in at around £40, and Hermés £60), I can’t help but wonder who will be religiously reapplying these post-dinner, kiss, or croque monsieur.
No, Vuitton certainly isn’t courting the everyday beauty consumer, but rather the super-rich — or, very possibly — the client who admires but can’t afford the trunks, handbags and catwalk shows but can, and is willing to, save up and buy into the brand at a lesser price point, so purchasing these items as keepsakes — another link in the LV story of heritage, glamour and excess.
And therein lies the issue for me — These products are too good, too joyful, too fun to use, wear and play with, to be seen as trophies to admire from afar. This collection deserves to be worn, admired, enjoyed and relished.
Still, I admire the audacity — I think Louis Vuitton may just have redefined makeup as both art form and collectible.
