The forward-thinking spirit of the fashion house Rabanne (more of which in our recent Julien Dossena interview) takes a fresh shape with the launch of Rabanne Beauty: a dynamic, gender-neutral make-up collection that exudes the same boundary-breaking spirit of its sartorial sibling.Designed to challenge convention and support radical self-expression, Rabanne Beauty offers a comprehensive range of colours and textures that can be wielded to drape the eyes, lips, face and body. Ranging from mascaras, lipsticks and lip balms to handbag-inspired eyeshadow palettes in two sizes, 30 shades of foundation and innovative art-inspired products that invite users to experiment, customise and adapt existing products to create a finish that’s entirely one’s own, Rabanne Beauty leaves nothing on the table.
Overseen by make-up maestro Diane Kendal, who serves as the brand’s creative director, Rabanne Beauty draws from the distinctive identity of its namesake. ‘The nice thing about the products is that they’re very interchangeable. You can mix them, and there’s a lot to play with. There’s definitely that playfulness, that avant-garde spirit and a little bit of sophistication, while still being playful and young,’ she says. ‘People want to have fun and have products they can play with.
Each of the pieces in the Rabanne Beauty collection nods to the signature metal details and kinetic silhouettes of the fashion house – for example, the ‘XL Link’ jewellery and ‘1969’ bag – in its packaging and product design. Conceived like accessories in their own right, the pieces have a collectible feel, while remaining easy to transport and use.
Intended to prompt limitless creativity and experimentation, Rabanne Beauty is characterised by a malleability that speaks to the modern age. This is particularly reflected in its Art Factory product suite, which offers metallic and glitter finishes that can be added to other colour products for a transformative effect. Metal Shot, a liquid multi-use highlighter that is dispensed with a dropper, can be used alone or to amplify the look of an eyeshadow or lipstick. Shimmer Bomb, a glitter spray, produces a thin, refined veil of iridescence all over the skin or body, while Pure Metal, a vial of biodegradable, metallic silver powder, can again be used on its own or combined with Rabanne Beauty’s other products.
The formulations are all vegan, dermatologically tested and committed to sustainability. Ninety-eight per cent of the ingredients are of natural origin, while still ensuring high-performance wear and maximum pay-off.
‘You can put a tiny bit of the Color Shot in silver on the inner corner of the eye and that’s your look, if you wanted,’ says Kendal, of the tubes of highly pigmented cream-to-paint liquid eyeshadow, that come in 12 metallic shades. ‘Or you can do a gorgeous lip and throw glitter all over your face. It’s just easy and accessible. There’s no beauty, only beauties.’
