Connecting cultures: When beauty products meet art
A light show at the Museum of Art Pudong celebrates the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France next year.
There has been no shortage of beauty collaborations over the recent years as culture is expressed through such items as a lipstick, leading to a new way to explore beauty and art.
One of the hottest collaborations is between Lancôme and the Louvre Museum – two French icons – that joined forces for a beauty collection. A launch event was held at the Museum of Art Pudong in Shanghai, where a miniature version of the Louvre Pyramid on top of the museum was connected by a beam of light to the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France next year.
An exhibition is held at the Museum of Art Pudong to showcase the new collaboration.
"I am delighted by this debut collaboration with Lancôme, which highlights with incredible talent the diversity of forms of beauty found in the Louvre collections – a dialogue between cultures and civilizations that transcends time and geography," Louvre President-director Laurence des Cars said at the event via a video.
"Campaign ambassadresses like the Venus de Milo, the Nymph With a Scorpion, and the Diana of Gabii are an opportunity for us to transport iconic and inspiring classical images, and to compare and contrast them with contemporary images and canons."
Some of the Louvre's best-known pieces have inspired the collaboration.
Lancôme's new Louvre Limited Edition Collection features four shades of L'Absolu Rouge Matte lipsticks, a new take on the iconic bottle of the Advanced Génifique serum, and the five-pan Richelieu Wing face and eye shadow palette, each wrapped in the imagery of a classic piece from Paris's world-famous museum.
The creamy Celestial Rose lipstick, for example, features a depiction of the sculpture La Nymphe Echo by Lemoyne Saint Paul on its cap.
Lancôme's new Louvre Limited Edition Collection has a pyramid display case.
The collaboration aims to inspire the next generation of beauty and art lovers with products and images that encourage strength and confidence.
"This creative and unprecedented partnership with the Louvre is a cultural testimonial to this conviction and our mission for beauty in Lancôme. By continuing the dialogue between our French brand, with a rich history spanning nearly 90 years, and the world's most iconic art temple, we are looking to foster new perspectives on beauty for today's women based on our artistic heritage, and celebrate beauty's ever-evolving nature," said Françoise Lehmann, Lancôme's global brand president.
It is not the first time cosmetic brands have united with cultural relics.
Earlier this year, the medical aesthetic skincare brand SkinCeuticals, under the L'Oréal group, joined forces with the Dunhuang Academy and the China Dunhuang Grottoes Conservation Research Foundation to launch the brand's first public welfare project of 2023, by presenting a limited-edition gift box to pay homage to the Dunhuang murals.
Dunhuang, a brilliant pearl on the ancient Silk Road and a link to world civilizations, holds the important material remains of cultural exchange in the form of the Dunhuang grottoes.
This limited-edition gift box is part of the collaboration between SkinCeuticals, Dunhuang Academy, and the China Dunhuang Grottoes Conservation Research Foundation.
"L'Oréal has always been committed to the protection and exchange of Chinese and French cultures, and Dunhuang, as a world cultural treasure, holds a special place in L'Oréal China's heart," said Lan Zhenzhen, vice president of L'Oreal North Asia Zone and China. "I am delighted that the SkinCeuticals brand collaborated with the Dunhuang Academy and the China Dunhuang Grottoes Conservation Research Foundation in public welfare, jointly protecting the cultural heritage of the Dunhuang grottoes and promoting the cultural construction of the Belt and Road Initiative."
"We hope to set an example for the beauty industry and even the entire consumer goods industry in cross-border joint initiatives," she added.
A bottle of perfume can connect the different cultures on the Silk Road with art.
Beauty and fragrance house Guerlain teamed up with Turkish jeweller Begüm Khan for its newly launched 2023 holiday collection. Khan took inspiration from whimsical animal and plant motifs that include a peacock, snake, tiger, and Guerlain's bee emblem.
Guerlain teamed with Turkish jeweller Begüm Khan for its newly launched 2023 holiday collection.
2024 is the Year of the Dragon in China, so art collaboration featuring the animal are considered an absolute lucky charm.
Put art into your make up bag – the best items are those that just make sense, leading to products that are as beautiful as they are functional.
