Gucci Beauty’s Thomas de Kluyver On The Revolutionary Technology Behind Éternité de Beauté Foundation
Thomas de Kluyver spent two years working on the brand’s state of-the-art Éternité de Beauté foundation. Now all he wants is for people to dab some on and have fun
In the heart of New York City Gucci’s Global Make-Up Artist Thomas de Kluyver is surrounded by a bevvy of beauty content creators who have flown in from around the world to be the first to test the brand’s new Éternité de Beauté foundation. The launch has a bit of a theme, one that is in keeping with the advertising campaign created for the debut – that of a rock band cutting a studio album. So the venue features different sets made to look like a recording studio with everything from a sound booth to a DJ station, fully stocked with a turntable and faux vinyl LPs pressed into the 40 different shades the foundation comes in. The music is pumping and people are clearly in a creative groove.
Throughout the day the energy is upbeat and everyone, including Dima Sheikhly and Leena Al Ghouti, is buzzing about the new product. Somewhat astonished, the creators confirm to each other that the foundation actually only needs a single pump to produce more than enough product to cover the whole face and that its matte finish doesn’t translate into a dull look, but rather gives off an attractive natural glow. And bonus points are given for making the long-lasting foundation breathable to boot, thanks to the hyaluronic acid and black rose oil that has been added to the proprietary formula.
Thomas is clearly pleased that the reception of Gucci’s long-gestating foundation has been so positive. For him, make-up is all about daring to express who you truly are at any given moment. Whether that be a whimsical look for a night out dancing at a club with friends, an at-the-office visage that highlights a favourite feature or just a natural approach for a relaxed family weekend. We spoke with Thomas about the transformative power of make-up, what he thinks makes this foundation a game-changer and his favourite memories of his time working with Gucci.
Harper’s Bazaar Arabia (HBA): We have to ask, as Gucci’s global make-up artist, is your first reflex when you meet someone to clock how they are wearing their make-up? And in your opinion what does a person’s choice of cosmetics tend to say about them?
Thomas de Kluyver (TK): I always love when people are expressive with their make-up. You know, I love the idea of make-up being more and more seen as another fashion accessory rather than some sort of preconceived idea of what it should be. And I always try to encourage people to be brave and have fun with it. And use what make-up can do to make yourself feel more powerful.
HBA: When did you first notice the transformative power of make-up?
TK: My mother’s a theatre director so I grew up in the theatre. I saw first-hand the power that it gave people to create their character. I am actually a self-taught make-up artist and I started getting into doing make-up because my friends and I would go out to nightclubs and I would just do their make-up as we were getting ready. You know, Gucci is a brand with so much positivity and joy in it. You can’t go into a Gucci store or Gucci Beauty make-up counter and not feel the good energy. Everything is just like a wonderful and exciting world and I think it’s nice if make-up can be that for people, you know what I mean? I love it when I see people that just being their true selves, and are wearing makeup in a kind of self-expressive way.
HBA: You came out with a book in 2019. In the four years since All I Want To Be was published, how has the make-up and beauty space changed, especially after the pandemic years?
TK: I’m really quite excited about revolutionary textures in make-up and I see that people are engaging with multi-use products now. They want things that are easy to use, last really long and can work on different parts of the face. I also think people love the idea of pushing the boundaries of what make-up can be. As my career progresses, and especially now that I am working so much at creating products, it’s been great to really explore all the innovations that are taking place in developing new products, like our foundation. It took over two years to get it right and find the exact balance when it came to the colours.
HBA: In terms of beauty products, isn’t creating foundations rather time-consuming and one of the most difficult things to do?
TK: I’ve been working at Gucci Beauty for five years now and for me, it’s the most revolutionary product that we’ve done. You have a lot of amazing products out there so we really needed to come up with something that would stand out. What I wanted to do with this particular product, was create a 24-hour transfer-proof long-wearing foundation. But not just that, I also wanted to make sure it was breathable and lightweight on the skin and that it also didn’t dry the skin. I remember when I was initially speaking with our team, they really didn’t think it was possible to tick all those boxes. That you couldn’t bring together in one foundation something that was both long-lasting and also lightweight and breathable. We ended up getting the product made in Korea. So we’re using some quite revolutionary technology in the way the different elements bond together. Honestly, I am really excited about it.
HBA: But how do you convince somebody to switch from wearing a foundation they know and love to your new creation for Gucci?
TK: I feel they will only need to try it once to understand immediately how different it is. In the beauty industry, we just haven’t been able to get this level of coverage but have that same kind of level of hydration. My idea was also for it to mimic real skin as closely as possible. So it has this luminous matte finish that feels very much like what people are looking for now. They just want to be their authentic selves more than ever and this foundation helps without pulling focus.
HBA: In your opinion, what is the most challenging and the most fun part of your job?
TK: Getting the skin right can be really really difficult. I mean the skin is the base of any make-up, if you don’t get your base right, then none of the other stuff works out. For example, in the past when I would be working backstage at a show I would usually have to touch up the make-up so much because these so-called longwear foundations would end up being so dry and matte, they don’t properly mimic real skin. But I swear since we started using this foundation backstage, it’s been life-changing.
HBA: What for you has been your fondest memory so far working with the brand?
TK: To be honest, I think it’s a couple of moments. The first shoot I ever did with the brand was the first-ever Gucci Beauty campaign. And I remember seeing that shot, you know the one where she has a bit of lipstick on her teeth, and just thinking how revolutionary it was. We all knew when we saw that image that it was the shot. And also my first ever Gucci show, It really felt like a dream come true.
Interview: Jessica Michault
