Valentino was one of the few remaining beauty holdouts in fashion. Gucci has reportedly sold over a million tubes of its debut lipstick in the month following its launch in 2019 and has since grown into foundation, eyeliner, mascara and more. Hermès made global headlines last year with its first lipstick. They join rivals like Dior, Saint Laurent and Chanel, who have relied on cosmetics for decades to expand their global reach.
Beauty products can serve as a gateway to introduce shoppers to a luxury brand whose full portfolio customers may then explore.
Traditional brands are leveraging their influence and reputation to enter the beauty category through extension beauty products, as a strategy to increase revenue.
Beauty products help to obtain customer loyalty through repeat purchases, because consumers have to replenish skincare, lip color or personal care products more frequently than apparel.
Beauty products, particularly with fashionable or unique packaging or a top designer name behind them, are sought-after gifts and therefore present another selling opportunity for retailers.
By offering beauty products, retailers can reach can extended customer base through innovative marketing strategies on online media channels.
But the beauty brand have to align with fashion aesthetics. For example, Hermès lipsticks are packaged in tubes that function almost like art objects, while Gucci’s lipstick (produced by licensee Coty) was sold through images of an imperfect smile, in keeping with creative director Alessandro Michele’s glamorous take on flawed beauty.
Valentino will launch color cosmetics including lipstick, foundations in dozen of shades and time clutch to keep all these beauty supplies.
by Daria Mudrova