Not Just a Lipstick: Louis Vuitton Creates a Beauty Heirloom
- Luxe magazine Switzerland
- Aug 19
- 3 min read
Not Just a Lipstick: Louis Vuitton Creates a Beauty Heirloom
August 2025 In a move that transcends conventional beauty launches, Louis Vuitton unveils its first full-fledged cosmetics line, La Beauté Louis Vuitton, positioning the collection less as makeup and more as an heirloom a collectible piece of luxury crafted to endure. Set for global release on August 29, 2025, in flagship stores and online, the collection includes 55 lipsticks, 10 tinted balms, and 8 eyeshadow quads, all designed with refillable packaging and a narrative that echoes the House’s heritage. (glamour.com, harpersbazaar.com, people.com, ft.com)
A Creative Force at the Helm: Pat McGrath
At the core of this visionary endeavor is Dame Pat McGrath, appointed Creative Director of Cosmetics. With decades of runway influence, she brings a fearless palette and a nuanced understanding of textures. Her touch ensures that La Beauté Louis Vuitton is as performance-driven as it is beautiful. (ft.com, elle.com, vogue.com)
Heritage as Creative Inspiration: From Travel Cases to Beauty Cases
La Beauté is a narrative steeped in history: Louis Vuitton’s toiletries trunks from the 1920s are reimagined in the form of modern, magnetic-closing cosmetic cases. These are not disposable; they are meant to be retained, refilled, cherished. The brand’s legacy of travel craftsmanship is, quite literally, housed within the new beauty objects. (glamour.com, ft.com)
LV Rouge: Pigmentation Meets Prestige
The LV Rouge lineup includes 55 shades 27 luminous satins and 28 velvety mattes marked by emblematic names like Rouge Louis, Monogram Rouge, and Rose Odyssée. The formulas boast rich pigments and embed skincare benefits think shea butter, hyaluronic acid wrapped in a scent crafted by master perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, who adds a signature olfactory thread linking this launch to Louis Vuitton’s fragrance heritage. (harpersbazaar.com, people.com, glamour.com)
LV Baume and LV Ombres: Subtlety and Drama in Balance
For those preferring subtlety, LV Baume offers ten tinted balms with sheer washes of colour and nourishing textures. LV Ombres, conversely, elevates eye colour to artistry with eight quads featuring matte, metallic, and glitter finishes, enhanced with squalane and camelina oil for comfort. A luminous “light-up” gel finish adds a tactile surprise that reflects light as you apply. (harpersbazaar.com, byrdie.com, people.com)
Packaging as a Statement: Konstantin Grcic’s Refillable Masterpieces
The collection’s form is pitched by designer Konstantin Grcic, whose minimalist yet functional aesthetic complements the brand’s dedication to travel elegance. Every compact, lipstick case, and palette is refillable, with a locking mechanism inspired by classic trunks. Monogrammed, sculptural, and made to last they’re not just containers, but companions. (people.com, ft.com, vogue.com)
Luxury Price, Luxury Promise
The financial threshold is unapologetically high: $160 for a lipstick with case (refill at $69), eyeshadow quads at $250 (refill $92). These are not mass-market numbers they are emblematic, meant to speak to the discerning collector for whom price is part of the story. (people.com, byrdie.com, harpersbazaar.com)
Strategic Timing: Beauty’s Renewed Boom
Here’s the savvy play: while fashion flirts with volatility, beauty continues its growth trajectory. Since its perfume line launch in 2016, Louis Vuitton has cultivated a fragrance-driven audience. Extending into color-driven cosmetics is both logical and ambitious capitalizing on the brand’s cachet while anchoring long-term growth. (ft.com, voguebusiness.com, meetandmatch.fr)
Heirloom vs. Cosmetics: The Dual Appeal
As heirloom, these products promise longevity both in object and emotional resonance. As cosmetics, they must deliver performance: rich color, comfort, scent, wear. With McGrath’s textures and attention to detail, Louis Vuitton bets they are artful in both respects. The promise is twofold: collectible icon and indulgent tool. (people.com, voguebusiness.com, ft.com)
Final Thoughts: A Lipstick that Speaks Legacy
Louis Vuitton’s beauty debut isn’t merely about color it’s a statement about durability, legacy, and elevated craftsmanship. Should the products perform up to their aspirational packaging, they may well become as collectible and as desired as the brand’s iconic trunks.
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