This Iconic Nars Product Was Born On A Harper’s Bazaar Photo Shoot
The famous 1996 beauty editorial with supermodel Carolyn Murphy inspired innovation
This autumn, famed make-up artist François Nars celebrates 25 rich years of his eponymous brand.
Known for creating the beauty looks for some of the most iconic catwalk shows, ad campaigns and fashion magazine covers ever created, including – of course – Harper’s Bazaar, the visionary has helped redefine the way women wear make-up.
Nars all started with a line of 12 lipstick shades, launched at Barneys New York in 1994. Fast-forward to today, and while the brand was acquired by Shiseido Cosmetics in 2000 as creative director the make-up artist remains the driving force behind it, and this month pays tribute to the brand’s beginnings. Enter a 72-strong lipstick collection, comprising of 60 trendsetting shades in addition to the original 12 classics. Consider it the last word in lipstick.
While this may offer the ultimate luxury of choice, the pro also pioneered the concept of customisable cosmetics – a considered way to consume beauty. His now-iconic innovation the Multiple is the original multi-purpose make-up stick, inspiring endless artistry and self-expression.
With this, it was Nars’ hands-on experience that led him to push the range into areas beauty brands had yet to acknowledge at the time. He explains that it all began on a Harper’s Bazaar US beauty shoot with supermodel Carolyn Murphy.
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“I have always stayed true to myself and followed my instincts. With Nars, I used everything I learned as an artist over the years to create products that would help me achieve my vision. For example, the Multiple was inspired by the time I worked with Patrick Demarchelier and Carolyn Murphy on a shoot for Harper’s Bazaar in 1996. I could only use one product, so I put lipstick on the eyes, lip and cheeks with very little foundation. It was a very monochromatic look and she looked beautiful.”
Since that editorial which led to the creation of the stick for eyes, cheeks, lips and body, there are now 12 variants of the classic Multiple, including the best-selling Copacabana and Orgasm shades.
First imagined in 1999, the original iteration of Orgasm, the Orgasm Blush, is iconic in itself. This universally flattering, shimmery peachy-pink shade became a cult favourite, and to date is the best-selling blush in the world.
With a brand that offers suit-all products guaranteed to flatter as much as endless choice ripe for experimentation, we look forward to seeing what the next 25 years of Nars brings to the beauty industry.
From Harper’s BAZAAR U.K