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The beauty launch season continues apace, and once again The Moodie Report has been on the road, this time to Paris with Estée Lauder, for the unveiling of the revamped Pure Color cosmetics collection, created in partnership with Estée Lauder Creative Makeup Director Tom Pecheux, who was appointed last November to help rejuvenate the brand.
[The Moodie Report Associate Editor Rebecca Mann, bravely posing with Lauder face and supermodel Hilary Rhoda. And no, I am not standing in a hole.]
The launch also showcased the limited-edition Blue Dahlia and Pure Color Night Collections. And as events go, this was pretty mega. Estée Lauder Companies Executive Chairman William P. Lauder? Check. Estée Lauder Senior Vice President, Creative Director, Aerin Lauder? Check. Estée Lauder Global Brand President Jane Hertzmark Hudis? Check. Supermodels Hilary Rhoda and Constance Jablonski? Check. And last, but by no means least, the charismatic Pecheux himself? Check indeed.
The two-day event kicked off in style with a well-attended Champagne reception in honour of Pecheux, at the Espace Pierre Premier. This was followed by a more intimate dinner to honour Pecheux, Rhoda and Jablonski at Caviar Kaspia. And for intimate, read, er, animated. Everyone, from the Lauder top brass to the two stunning supermodels, acquitted themselves honourably when the time came for vodka shots. The Moodie Report joined in too, of course – but all in the line of duty. It would have been rude not to…
[Rebecca Mann, post- Pure Color makeover. “Do I look like Hilary Rhoda yet? No? Damn!”.]
The next morning The Moodie Report came face-to-face (well, face-to-waist more like, these supermodels are seriously tall) with the ravishing Rhoda, who discussed life, love and lip gloss with assorted global media. She was articulate, engaging, warm and witty – and cheerily admitted to working out every day. Daily spin classes?! (Sigh) pass the chocolate…
After Rhoda we spent nearly an hour with Tom Pecheux, who proved to be droll, devoid of diva tendencies (not always the case with make-up artists), and thoroughly entertaining to talk to.
His key message – that make-up shouldn’t be a mask, but a tool to enhance what is already there – is a good one on many levels. And he encouraged everyone to be a shade braver and try new looks. “Make-up is not a tattoo,” he emphasised. “If you make a mistake, you can just take it off. It should be playful, and women shouldn’t be afraid to experiment.”
It was in this spirit that The Moodie Report then succumbed to a make-over (this journalist’s second inside a month – hmmm, is someone trying to tell me something?) using the bold new shades from the limited-edition Blue Dahlia collection. Banishing all the bad memories of the cobalt blue eye shadow so beloved in the 1980s, we didn’t – alas – look like Hilary Rhoda at the end of it, but at least but drew some admiring glances on the Eurostar home.
Dear Rebecca,
You look absolutely delightful – who needs the supermodels?? – as Tom Pecheux said, the make-up is a tool to enhance what is already there. Am sure he loved making you up.
Jonathan.