Lancôme Enlists Three Parisian Designers To Create Upscale Makeup Bags That Double As Posh Clutches
Merging the realms of fashion and beauty, Lancôme enlisted three Parisian haute couture designers — Yiqing Yin, Alexandre Vauthier, and Jacquemus — to create their unique interpretations of a luxury makeup bag, one that could double as a luxury clutch and which could house three key Lancôme products: the L’Absolu Rouge Lipcolor, the Hypnôse Eye Palette, and the Hypnôse Star Mascara. The result is the Nouvelle Vague collection, which consists of three gorgeous clutches, each featuring the Lancôme logo etched in one of its metal trimmings. All three handbags will be available starting July 28th exclusively at Net-a-Porter.com.
My favorite of the three pieces is the Yiqing Yin evening clutch (pictured above, at top), which retails for $1500 and features a strong and sculptural silhouette that reflects the designer’s aesthetic. Yin’s work often incorporated a push-and-pull between the fluid and the sculptural, the rigid and the soft, so that pleats might be arranged in unusual ways that suggest no clear beginning or end point, tiered ruffled skirts might incorporate graphic fabrics that contrast the traditional femininity associated with this design motif, and so forth. Her clutch, then, also conveys a tug-of-war between strength and fragility. The bag has a clear sculptural shape, with triangular sides and a pyramid-like front surface that feels all the more three-dimensional, all of which feel modern and edgy, but that’s married with a textured fabric that’s slightly gritty and a bit rough tot he touch.The precious gold chain, adorned with a cylindrical golden bar, meanwhile, infuses the design with a sophisticated air. The signature Lancôme rose is engraved in the bag’s metalwork, pointing to the collaborative spirit behind the piece.
The piece designed by Jacquemus, meanwhile, offers the strongest contrast to Yin’s work. Known for having a quirky aesthetic that toys with different proportions (form-fitting versus baggy, linear versus boxy, shrunken versus oversize), incorporates Mod-flavored geometric shapes, and integrates seemingly off-kilter details (random embellishments, mismatched sleeves, and so forth), Jacquemus’ handbag design is true to his playful point-of-view as a designer. For Lancôme, Jacquemus designed a rounded pink bag, shown second from top and retailing for $500, that can be worn a a wristlet or, alternatively, transformed into an upscale fanny pack by using the white belt with the airplane-like buckled strap. The Lancôme rose is embossed atop the wristlet’s silver-toned zipper tab, which opens up to reveal a vibrant blue lining that will remind you of swimming pools.
Alexandre Vauthier’s design, meanwhile, is perhaps the most classical: a black evening clutch with an envelope shape. It’s an ode to minimalism and what Vauthier describes as a “cold elegance.” Available for $1500, the clutch features a slim golden bar adorning the front flap, the Lancôme rose engraved into one of the bar’s corners, and beneath it, two smaller gold bars that add a bit of an Art Deco vibe to the design. A slim chain strap completes the posh and polished piece.
Not only does the collection celebrate Lancôme’s French heritage and speak to the brand’s support for the promising talent emerging from Paris, but it also blurs the line between fashion and beauty, showing how integral one realm is to the other. Best of all, it celebrates unique perspectives and demonstrates how willing Lancôme is to think outside the proverbial box.
