MAC Give Me Liberty of London: The Sneak Peek Begins!

MAC Give Me Liberty of London: The Sneak Peek Begins!

With unveiling parties happening across the country tonight, I thought I’d share a little sneak peek of the MAC Liberty of London Collection that will release, officially, in-stores on March 11th. Today, I’ll share with you photos, swatches, and reviews of the products I’ve been able to try so far. Please keep in mind that I am missing a few pieces (Give Me Liberty of London Eyeshadow; Peachstock Lipstick; and Frankly Fresh & A Different Groove Lipglasses) and will have photos, swatches, and reviews of those items on the in-store launch date.

First, before we get to the good stuff, I thought I’d share some fun facts and insights on how the collection came to be.

The MAC Give Me Liberty of London design is based on William Morris’ Strawberry Thief print, which dates back to 1883. Because MAC wanted exclusivity, Liberty reworked the original print while MAC collaborated on colours and design to modernize it.

On the packaging, James Gager, Senior Vice President and Creative Director for MAC Cosmetics, says, “I’m particularly proud of the packaging… White [packaging] speaks to a reawakening of everyone’s sensibilities for spring. [It] has a remarkably fresh, springy look to it. Even if you don’t know what Liberty is, you want to own these pieces because they are so unique and special. It’s evident that something original has taken place here in terms of the collaboration.”

On the promotional imagery, Gager says, “The inspiration was all Liberty and all London.” Miles Aldridge, photographer, shot the visuals in London, with Charlotte Tilbury, makeup artist, created the look. (Both Aldridge and Tilbury are English!) Gager goes on to say, “The idea was to capture the spirit of the famous Brit wit, bohemian chic girl. Katy England, another famous Brit, styled the shoot. She also designed the outfit worn by the model, using many Liberty prints and turning them into an over-the-top ruffled dress. With the MAC Give Me Liberty of London collection, we aspired to capture the spirit of this dreadfully chic, cool English girl, sitting on a chair, decked out in all the British regalia. She’s a Liberty freak and a MAC addict; she can’t get enough of either brand.”

Give Me Liberty of London launches March 11th, 2010 at all North American MAC locations, 1.800.588.0070, and www.maccosmetics.com (expect online to put it up a day or two earlier, though!). The collection will launch April 2010 for international MAC locations.