YSL Black Fetish Collection

It’s sunny outside, summer is here, and we’re all feeling, well, summery, so … it’s a great time to talk about Autumn /Winter makeup! I know, I know, but the Autumn/Winter beauty collections hit the counters in August, and this one hits in July! So let’s start this week with this GORGEOUS collection from YSL.

Featuring the beautiful Cara Delevingne in the campaign images, the Fall 2014 YSL look  – Black Fetish – was inspired by leather. “I am fascinated by the incredible depths of colour and texture of this noble material,” says YSL’s Lloyd Simmonds. “Particularly by its different textured finishes: weathered, polished, grained, burnished. I wanted to explore the variations of leather in one single collection that would be perfect for Fall 2014.”

This collection is full of textures, burnished tones, from deepest black to shiny bronze combined with the varnished, glossy sheen of patent leather. So, it’s chic with a rock-star edge, YSL say. Let’s look at the actual products. The Couture Palette Collector Fetishe (£42) is an eye palette with gorgeous shades of coppers, nudes, deep greens and opulent browns, with a bit of gold. There’s YSL False LAshes Mascara Baby Doll in Ultra Black (£24.50), and two Baby Doll Eyeliners (£25) in Gris Vinyle – a high sheen metallic grey, and Bleu Patine – a cobalt denim blue.

For the lips, it’s a new lipstick formula, Rouge Pur Couture Les Mats (£25). Matte lipstick in two bold shades, and two paler shades. Fuschia Fetiche is the icon YSL pink and Red Rythm is an intensely vibrant red. Rose Perfecto is a fresh faced pink and Nude Acoustic is a subtle, bare-flesh pink. These matte lipsticks are formulated with ‘Velvet Complex’ a combination of spherical powders and silk oil.

There are two lovely Gloss Volupte (£21) in Cuir Grenat and Beige Nu, and two new Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stains in Beige Peau and Brun Cuir.

The nails are stunning –   La Lacque Couture (£18.50) in Bleu Galuchat – a metallic blue/grey and Taupe Graine – a matt suede brown, which I love! So, there you have it – time to get all dark and mysterious this Autumn/Winter!

Here’s a little Q&A with YSL Creative Director, Makeup, Lloyd Simmonds, who created this gorgeous collection.

Leather is the star of the Fall Look 2014. What attracted you to it?   

I am fascinated by the incredible depth of the colours and textures of this noble material. In particular by the different patinas: weathered, polished, burnished. … I wanted to explore different leathers in a single palette.

 What is the attitude of the Saint Laurent woman this Fall?   

She is edgy, sexy, likes flirting with danger. Not really a fetishist, but she has her sexy rock side. She exudes a powerful attraction and self-confidence, like when she puts on her leather biker jacket or steps into her black pumps.

 The campaign look embodied by Cara Delevingne is certainly very assertive: intense eyes, matte red lips … How did you work on this look?   

I pushed the leather aspect to play out this idea of extreme seduction, to become a totally hot look: smouldering eyes and Cuir Rouge on the lips, Galuchat on the nails …

How can the look be worn on an everyday basis?  

Outside of a photo shoot it is rare to wear a total look. But it can be interpreted by using just some of the items in the collection: a lip gloss, an eyeliner and a mascara, an eye shadow and a Galuchat lacquer, etc.  The modern effect comes from a healthy, luminous complexion. Starting from that, you can play with make-up like an accessory.

Tell us about the rock palette …   

I adore it because it brings together all the tones of skin colour and raw leather. It offers several textures – from matte black to slightly metallic camel – to create a base, a shape or a highlight. Each woman can use it as her mood dictates.

Smoky or graphic? What are the 2014 codes for eyes?   

There is a major trend towards clean, graphic lines. Which is why the eyeliner is key.

What is the secret of the new Mascara Rock Ultra Noir?    

It is ultra ultra ultra black. Even blacker than existing ultra black mascaras. Its transparent base is supercharged with black pigments, which gives a dense but not opaque finish. The effect is very intense and gives new depth to the eyes.

 What are your three  star colours in the collection?   

I prefer to talk about textures: matte, shiny, satin … that can be layered to create different finishes. What I like about them is that you can choose your own favourites. Total freedom of choice in fact.

Your fetish product of the season? And why?  

Obviously it is the Couture Palette Collector Fétiche because it perfectly sums up the Fall Look 2014. But there are also the Rouges Pur Couture Mats. I like their easy-to-wear texture and they have that very modern rock slant to them.

The YSL Fall Look 2014 Black Fetish Collection is available now at Harvey Nichols, and nationwide at YSL counters, and yslbeauty.co.uk, from July 30