Whenever Dame Pat McGrath is the lead makeup artist for a runway show, I pay attention. The makeup-artist-turned-brand-founder rarely, if ever, sends models down the catwalk with a minimal look. She turns out artwork.
McGrath's most recent creation is no exception. For the Louis Vuitton’s Cruise 2025 show in Barcelona, Spain, yesterday, McGrath ideated an intensely graphic negative space lip liner look emphasizing a man-made cupid’s bow.
A stark contrast to the over-lining or bare-lipped looks from the Spring/Summer circuit, the Louis Vuitton show played into negative space on the lips by using angular lines and deep hues. Lips of all shapes and sizes were redrawn to create a V-shape in the center of the upper lip.
The sharp design was a fusion of Spanish tradition and an edgy aesthetic. This concept was effortlessly brought to life with the help of McGrath’s latest creation for her namesake brand: the Dramatique Mega Lip Pencil, which is available in 12 shades and set to launch on May 31.
“Dramatique is all about inspiring people to get creative with their makeup,” the makeup artist said in a press release shared with Marie Claire. “Today, at Louis Vuitton, we were able to showcase the artistry you can achieve with this product, which combines the opulent pigmentation of lipstick and the versatility and convenience of a pencil.”
Putting Dramatique into action has been a long time coming. The lip liner has been in development for years—and has been secretly tested on celebrities for the past month. McGrath secretly debuted the product at the Met Gala, using it on both Naomi Campbell and Tyla.
Emphasizing artistry is a skill set Dame Pat McGrath demonstrates time and again. Case in point: the Maison Margiela Spring/Summer 2024 collection, which received critical acclaim for impeccable beauty artistry. McGrath created porcelain, glass-like skin on the models for the fashion show using a series of peel-off face masks and illuminators.
It was my favorite runway look to date—but today’s Louis Vuitton lip liner is a close second.
