Icons of the Past Met Icons of the Present at Gucci's Lipstick Launch
Alessandro Michele has only been at the helm of Gucci for four years, but despite the short amount of time, his appointment as Creative Director has reaped several historic moments—the most recent being the revamped launch of Gucci Beauty's lipstick collection. The 58-shade collection is comprised of three unique formulations (satin, sheer, and blam) in stunning gold, floral-print, and teal tubes. As Gucci is wont to do, the brand threw a massive celebration in honor of the milestone, and it was an experience unlike any other.
Take the location, for example. The event was held inside the Doubles Club on 60th Street and 5th Avenue–a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of Downtown New York. The walls were covered in rich pink-red velvet brilliantly evoked the year it opened in 1976. Guests were able to try on the lipsticks at vintage-inspired makeup stations, assisted by Gucci Global Makeup Artist Thomas de Kluyver’s team. Of course, the lipstick also made its way onto mirrored columns and surfaces throughout the space, an unofficial homage to a RuPaul's Drag Race elimination.
Near the DJ booth, the Gucci Beauty campaign—shot by frequent Gucci collaborator Martin Parr—was brightly displayed on analog television sets. Starring Dani Miller, the lead singer of punk band Surfbort, and models Mae Lapres, Achok Majak and Ellia Sophia, it serves as a raucous ode to the New Romantic aesthetic of the early 1980s, packaged beautifully for the digital sphere. The video was proudly on display next to the booming DJ booth, where Jeffertitti, Dani Miller, and Zoë Bleu Arquette kept the crowd moving and shaking.
But now onto the good stuff: the celebrity guests.
There was Debbie Harry rolling up squad deep and looking cooler than ever, mingling with Miller over glasses of champagne. Florence Welch resembled an ethereal wood nymph, storming the dance floor in a flurry of twirls and jumps as Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" blared from the speakers. The room erupted into absolute madness when Michele emerged from the kitchen only to meet up with Jared Leto illuminated by the bright glare of iPhones from partygoers present. It was a magical hodgepodge of past meets present—the perfect additional chromosome in Gucci's creative DNA. What could be more bellisimo than that? Oh right—the lipsticks.
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