MAC Emanuel Ungaro Collection More Details

As we gave you an inside peek as to what to expect for this fall, WWD has an article all about MAC’s upcoming MAC Emanuel Ungaro launch!

MAC Cosmetics has collaborated with designer Esteban Cortazar of Emanuel Ungaro to launch a limited edition makeup collection, called MAC Emanuel Ungaro, which was inspired by the fashion house’s fall runway looks.

The line, due out this fall, is meant to take Ungaro’s heritage in ultrafeminine and colorful clothing and apply it to makeup.  Ungaro marks the second designer collaboration for MAC, which is owned by the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. Its first was a collection for Alexander McQueen that was launched last fall.

According to James Gager, MAC Cosmetics’ senior vice president and creative director, the difference between the two designer collections and a previous makeup collection for Heatherette is that the latter is not based on runway looks.

“It’s about bringing the makeup collections straight from the runway into the stores,” Gordon Espinet, MAC Cosmetics’ vice president of global makeup artistry, said of the Ungaro initiative.

Guillaume Jesel, MAC Cosmetics’ president of global marketing, noted the cosmetics firm has been a long-time sponsor of Emanuel Ungaro fashion presentations.  He added, “We have a special relationship with Esteban, since we’ve supported the young prodigy’s shows from the very beginning.”

Cortazar, who’s been at the French fashion house for just over six months, recalled his first experience with the MAC brand at the age of 10, when he visited a MAC makeup store in Miami, his hometown.  “I knew this was a cool place because I saw all the amazing, fun colors, glitter and girls with blue hair running around with outrageous makeup on their faces,” said Cortazar. “I used to have them dress me up for Halloween all the time.”

As a seventh grader, Cortazar hired MAC makeup artists to do his first fashion show, held at his school, because he wanted to be “as professional” as possible.

MAC wanted to be sure that both the Ungaro designer collection and its fall MAC color collection, called Cult of Cherry, had different points of view. Cult of Cherry is inspired by dark, rich chocolates and cherry-red shades, while the Ungaro collection is about femininity and uses lighter textures.

“We were sure to not step on our fall collection,” said Gager. “We’re bringing the best of both worlds to our customers from a color standpoint, attitude and association with someone who’s going to reinvent a couture house. This gives us an edge in terms of being authentic in what we bring to our customers.”

Cortazar worked together with MAC’s product development team and Sharon Dowsett, who was the key makeup artist for MAC at Emanuel Ungaro’s fall runway show, to create the MAC Emanuel Ungaro line.  “[Cortazar] was after something earthy, so I was inspired by a softer palette of delicate shades of pinks, blues and lilacs,” said Dowsett, referencing Monet’s “Water Lilies.” “It’s a colorful collection but very transparent so you don’t have to worry about overdoing it.”

The 14-item MAC Emanuel Ungaro lineup, which is slated to launch in October, includes lipsticks and lip glosses, eye shadows and liner, cream color bases, blush, mascara and a brow set. The collection, which ranges in price from $11 to $22, could generate retail sales of $2 million according to industry sources. — WWD