SEAToday.com, Jakarta - Louis Vuitton, known for its luxury handbags, clothing, watches, and more, is now venturing into cosmetics for the first time.

As reported by Antara, which cited Channel News Asia, based on a report from The Financial Times on Wednesday (03/05), luxury brand Louis Vuitton has appointed British makeup artist Pat McGrath as the creative director of its cosmetics venture.

The collection will feature 55 lipsticks (a tribute to the Roman numerals for LV), 10 lip balms, and eight eyeshadow palettes, launching this fall in 116 Louis Vuitton stores. 

Complementing the makeup line, Louis Vuitton will introduce leather accessories such as small cosmetic cases and lipstick pouches inspired by the brand’s first beauty cases from 1854.

According to the company, both the formulas and packaging are crafted in France, while the leather goods are made in Louis Vuitton’s European studios.

This cosmetics line marks CEO Pietro Beccari’s first major initiative since joining from Dior last year. It also represents another step in Vuitton’s evolution into a "cultural brand."

"Beauty is a part of people’s lives—young people, men and women, everyone," Beccari said in a video call from Paris as quoted on Antara. "We want to be there."

Despite its strong presence in luxury, Louis Vuitton is considered a late entrant into the competitive high-end cosmetics market.

In the past five years, brands like Prada, Celine, and Dries Van Noten have introduced their own beauty lines, while Burberry re-entered the category last year, joining established luxury players such as Chanel, Dior, Giorgio Armani, and YSL Beauty.

However, according to HSBC analyst and former Cartier executive Erwan Rambourg, Louis Vuitton has a strong track record of successfully breaking into well-established categories, such as jewelry and fragrance.

When the brand launched its first perfumes in 2016, it entered the market by exclusively selling them in Vuitton stores with high-end packaging.

"What’s more competitive than fragrance?" Beccari remarked as quoted on Antara. "We did it our own way—with packaging designed by Frank Gehry, using rich, rare, and long-lasting ingredients. We were able to price higher than others without distribution costs."

The company plans to take a similar approach with its cosmetics launch.

McGrath, the founder of Pat McGrath Labs, has been given full creative freedom to develop both the formulas and packaging for the collection.

"She knows where we can be unique," Beccari said as quoted on Antara. "We are one of the few companies that can ask her to create without limits—to imagine the best products and the best colors."

McGrath emphasized that there would be no compromises in product development. She aims to create products suitable for all skin tones, ensuring inclusivity in the collection.

Louis Vuitton’s cosmetics line will be sold exclusively in its 400+ stores worldwide.

Writer: Andi Raisa Malaha Thambas