The first makeup line, “La Beauté Louis Vuitton,” which was unveiled at the end of August, is interpreted as a declaration to expand Louis Vuitton into a lifestyle beyond just expanding the product line. The beauty collection consists of 55 kinds of lipsticks, 10 kinds of lip balms, and 8 kinds of eye shadow palettes inspired by Louis Vuitton’s initial LV. It is not just about releasing color products, it has made the brand’s world view a new medium to experience in everyday life.
Fashion brands have expanded their cosmetics before, but Louis Vuitton’s entry has a different meaning. As they have expanded into perfumes following bags, fashion, and jewelry, this cosmetic line can also be understood as a process of expanding the world view of the brand, not just selling products. Louis Vuitton, whose motto is “Art of Travel,” is now trying to build another customer experience by presenting “Art of Beauty.” Louis Vuitton cosmetics take a different path from other luxury brands’ beauty collections. It is notable that the brand has applied the foundations of fashion and travel to the beauty sector. It expanded beauty into a lifestyle experience by introducing not only cosmetics but also exclusive bags, trunks, and leather accessories. The work was done by Konstantin Gricci, a German industrial designer. He is regarded as one of the most notable figures in the world of design. He received the Compasso d’Oro Award, which is called the Nobel Prize in design, with his 1999 work “Mayday” lamp, and his 2004 work “Chair_ONE” was permanently owned by the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in New York. He is famous for his work that combines common household items with architectural structural beauty and practicality to elevate them into design objects.
Louis Vuitton’s cosmetics were created independently of his own work. The case for cosmetics such as Vanity Trunk and Nice Beauty Case, which were inspired by travel trunks, contained the brand’s craftsmanship and travel philosophy. The cosmetics package uses aluminum and brass materials to increase durability and minimize plastic use. The structure that allows the contents to be refilled is applied to all makeup products such as lipstick and eyeshadow, implementing the sustainability philosophy pursued by the brand. In addition, world-renowned makeup artist Dame Pat McGrath joined as creative director to complete the product’s color development, texture, and sensory use experience. Her participation raised Louis Vuitton’s cosmetics to a performance that combined artistic inspiration and brand philosophy, not just color products. Louis Vuitton’s launch of cosmetics forms a new competitive landscape in the global market. Hermes has already achieved results with lipsticks and blushers, and Chanel and Dior have remained unrivaled in the beauty sector for a long time. The addition of Louis Vuitton has the potential to shake the game and is likely to create a new consumer base around the premium market.
La Botte Louis Vuitton emphasizes his own ingenuity in the luxury beauty market, appearing in fierce competition. In particular, it has clearly set a premium position that is one step above other luxury brands’ cosmetics. This shows that makeup products can be a strategic means of upgrading the brand’s overall image, not just “small luxury.” In particular, the Louis Vuitton Dosan pop-up store, which opened near Dosan Park in Gangnam, Seoul, is drawing attention as a special space where you can experience the collection firsthand. The pop-up, which consists of a total of three floors, displays all La Botte Louis Vuitton products and beauty trunk lines. It is symbolic in that it is the only pop-up store in Asia that operates only in Seoul, and it once again shows Korea’s status in the global luxury beauty market.
The smallest and easiest way to experience luxury is through makeup products. Louis Vuitton has taken this to the next level and established itself as an experience of owning a brand philosophy rather than just cosmetics. Customers can experience Louis Vuitton’s artistry and innovation in their daily lives with just the purchase of a lipstick. How to continue to strengthen this premium positioning will be a challenge for Louis Vuitton in the future. Cosmetics should be developed as an object that enhances the overall brand image rather than a “small luxury” based on product quality, sensory storytelling, and sustainability.
SALLY LEE
US ASIA JOURNAL
