Louis Vuitton hires Pat McGrath to lead its debut beauty line
It’s no secret that luxury brands can count on beauty lines to boost revenues, which is why Louis Vuitton has announced the launch of La Beauté Louis Vuitton coming later this year. The exciting twist? Acclaimed makeup artist and Founder of beauty brand Pat McGrath Labs, Pat McGrath, is its Creative Director.
La Beauté Louis Vuitton's launch will include a long list of lipsticks, 55 to be exact, as well as 10 lip balms and eight eyeshadow palettes. But, what makes it different and truly Louis Vuitton by nature is that the assortment has been designed to fit one of the fashion house’s monogrammed trunks, the product the house became renowned for when it was founded back in 1854.
The rollout of Vuitton's beauty line will be gradual, with the first drop debuting in just 116 doors in the first year. As it does with its perfume line, which was launched in 2016, the storied Parisian house will distribute strictly through its boutiques, of which it has over 400 across the globe.
Louis Vuitton’s Chairman and CEO Pietro Beccari told WWD that unique packaging, carrying cases and more will become part of what it’s billing as a "lifestyle beauty experience that extends beyond product".
He said beauty launches will be accompanied by ancillary products, including carry cases, containers and small leather goods. "Entering new categories is about being present wherever the client goes, and beauty is part of the life of every woman," Beccari said.
According to Beccari, it took nearly four years of research and development to create the initial lip and eye colors.
"We took the time to develop incredible ranges and new formulas," he explained. "We like to come with something never seen before in terms of performance, in terms of long-lastingness, and in terms of colors."
This isn’t McGrath’s first rodeo with Vuitton. She has created makeup looks for Creative Director Nicolas Ghesquière since he arrived at the brand in 2014, and more recently, she collaborated with Men's Creative Director Pharrell Williams.
Pat McGrath said, "It’s a true honor. I’m just so excited... At Vuitton, beauty follows that same ethos: design that is meticulously crafted and deeply intentional.
"If you think about it, Louis Vuitton revolutionized travel. It’s now going to revolutionize beauty,” she said. “Every color, every texture, every formulation is crafted with the precision and artistry you know that defines the house… It’s a very, very different launch in beauty. It’s much wider."
She hinted that the "refined", "elegant" beauty cohort is collector-worthy, teasing that the lipstick was inspired by Vuitton's handbags and trunks.
She concluded: "To redefine luxury, to create something exquisite, meaningful and timeless, there’s always room. All age groups are obsessed with beauty. I think this is just the beginning for beauty. There’s a lot more space and a lot more room for newness."
This comes as Louis Vuitton and its owner, LVMH, weather the storm of the luxury market slump. In January, LVMH reported revenues of £71 billion (€84.7 billion) in 2024, beating its previous expectations of £70.7 billion (€84.28 billion).
The Fashion & Leather Goods category, which includes Rimowa, Loewe, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior, showed "good resilience" and was broadly stable in terms of organic growth in 2024. Profit from recurring operations was down by 10%, mainly affected by exchange rate fluctuations.
