FALL’S RICH HARVEST
Byline: Laura Klepacki
NEW YORK — Divine Divas, Renaissance, Modern Romance, Get Gorgeous and Bewitch, Bejewel, Bedazzle are some of the themes of this year’s fall color cosmetics collections.
A strong economy is fueling an air of optimism, and cosmetics manufacturers have created collections with deep shades to reflect a sense of richness and opulence, along with some daring shades for a hint of decadence. Many of the shade statements are featuring deep plums and purples, along with luminescent golds, coppers, bronzes, lush browns and a few taupes and greens.
Self-expression is the watchword for the remainder of the decade, especially with the approach of the millennium, said cosmetics manufacturers. They predict women will become even more willing to experiment and are presenting color ranges to feed an appetite for both novelty and romance. In promotional materials, both L’Oreal and Maybelline are showing models adorned with feather boas.
“The whole theme is coming from the sense that the economy is good and there is renewed desire for luxury and in making every day special,” said Lauren Winter, director of color marketing for Mary Kay in discussing the company’s Divine Divas fall collection. “Diva is about having an inner confidence and exuding your own style,” said Winter.
Berry Dramatic, Bistro Bronze, Kiss Kiss Crimson, Priceless Plum and Plush Blush are new Mary Kay lipstick shades, while Divine Diva, Haute Chocolate, Ruby Slipper and Silver Wear are fall additions to its Color Shield polish.
L’Oreal’s Renaissance collection is picking up where Metamorphosis left off and is indicative of the company’s new focus on shade innovation. It is described by the company as delivering “intense color in a new light.” With a focus on dark and dramatic colors, the palette is dominated by blue, plum, brown and burgundy shades. A new eye shadow compact called Moon-Lighting includes a glittery black shade, along with a white, pink and gray.
“Ultimately, L’Oreal’s Renaissance is about transformation,” according to the company. “It’s about bringing back beauty in all its abundance.”
Rich wines, warm coppers, classic reds and grays are the basis for Avon’s Get Gorgeous promotion. The collection, according to Avon, “is perfect for transforming polished daytime looks into nighttime glamour.” Like L’Oreal, Avon is also featuring a soft black shade among its eye shadows for the fall, which it calls Smoke.
With an emphasis on plums and grays, Cover Girl’s Bewitch, Bejewel, Bedazzle collection was created to inspire romanticism and mystique. Some in-store materials feature model Tyra Banks holding a crystal ball, while other printed materials describe the collection as “colors out of fairy tales.” Smoky Topaz, Mystic Peacock, Plum Fairy, Midnight Forest and Midnight Metal are new seasonal shades in its NailSlicks line. Plum Fairy, Bold & Burgundy, Smoke & Mirrors and Smoky Topaz are new additions to its Continuing Color SelfRenewing Lipsticks line.
“We’ve generated explosive growth behind our recent color collections, and we expect the magic to continue for fall ’98,” said Anne Martin, P&G Cosmetics Marketing Director, which includes Cover Girl and Max Factor brands.
Max Factor has taken a different approach this year. In a tie-in promotion with the blockbuster film “Titanic,” it is launching the Tina Earnshaw Color Collection, described by the company as a “strong but feminine shade palette.” It is named for makeup artist Tina Earnshaw, who received an Oscar nomination for her makeup work on the “Titanic” cast. New lipcolor shades include: Rebellious, Independent, Passionate, Heartbroken and Liberated.
Maybelline’s Gypsy Chic promotion features colors that are “audaciously rich and extravagantly plush,” according to the company. The intent was to create a palette that is “exotic and romantic.” It is built around plums, purples and golds. Some new fall shades include: Plushed Plum, Rare Ruby, Indigo Chic, Goldlights, Tasseled Taupe and Khaki Fringe in its Express Finish nail line. Gypsy Chic “brings you a new flirtatiously fatal charm,” said Maybelline.
At the same time, Maybelline is offering a second promotion, Gypsy Chic on Ice, which is a collection of pale colors with silvery tones, with names such as Cool Blue and Gray Suede.
Revlon’s BrazenBerry, Almay’s Amazing Wines Vintage Collection and Ultima II’s Plum Perfect have all been developed around plums, purples and wine tones.
BrazenBerry features berry shades for eyes, lips and nails and marketing materials en-courage women to “indulge your deepest desires.” The shades are described by Revlon as “sinfully rich, and ripe for attention.” Its eye shades are pale and soft, and lips and nails get the emphasis with deeper shades such as Berry, Currant and Vixen in ColorStay lipcolor and Blackcherry, Garnet, Sherry and Winey in its Top Speed Nail Color line.
Plum Perfect combines soft eye shades — charcoal suede, camel suede, plum suede and rose suede — with rich lip colors from its new Full Moisture Lipcolor line, including Honey Satin, Brandy Satin, Plum Satin and Raisin Satin. The collection, according to Ultima II, “creates a look that’s both alluring and full of attitude.”
Almay’s Vintage Collection introduces several new shades to its Amazing Lasting Lipcolor line, including, Mulberry, Grapevine and Woodberry, along with complementary soft eye shadow colors called Amethyst, Shell and Taupe.
Keeping with its natural approach to makeup, Almay’s promotion encourages women to “enhance what you have,” rather than change your look.
Prestige Cosmetics has compiled palettes to create three different “looks” for fall: Modern Romance, which uses color to create lush lips and shimmery eyes; Silverado shades create a smoky eye and nearly naked lips, and Novelle Natural, which uses clear mascara to shape brows and lashes, barely colors cheeks and uses darker shades on lips.
Meanwhile, Jane Cosmetics, which doesn’t typically offer special fall colors, is planning a holiday promotion, “You Glow Girl,” that will feature silver and gold.
“You are seeing a lot of metallics coming in, and metallics are getting very hot,” said Don Pettit, vice president of marketing and product development for Sassaby Inc., Jane’s parent. Otherwise, Pettit also expects purples and blues to predominate this fall.