At ELLE we love a great beauty collaboration. And lately there have been some interesting partnerships which transcend the usual Hollywood actress/brand partnership and offer us something fresh and unexpected. We round up five collaborations that have piqued our interest and got us thinking about beauty in a whole new way.
Augustinus Bader & Sofia Coppola
This skincare brand, with its clever TFC8 technology, has skyrocketed to cult status since launching in 2018. Said to help support cellular renewal, Augustinus Bader has won the hearts of skin experts (think Melanie Grant) and A-listers alike. So it’s perhaps no wonder that Hollywood heavyweight Sofia Coppola has joined forces with AB to launch three new Tinted Lip Balms in shades dear to the Academy Award winning director’s heart. Already a fan of the Augustinus Bader’s clear lip balm, Coppola said she was excited when the brand agreed to create a tinted balm. The lip balms are packed with the brand’s TFC8, along with lip nourishing ingredients such as Seah Butter and vitamin E. “Shade 1 is based on a favourite sheer deep pink lipstick I hoarded after it was discontinued, that’s easy and adds a brightening, subtle tint,” explains Coppola. “Shade 2 is a red coral I like for summer or at the beach, and Shade 3 is a burnt, earthy plum.”
Shop the collaboration at Augustinusbader.com
Acne Studios & Frédéric Malle
On the very edge of cool, Acne Studios is a brand adept at pushing industry norms. So when Jonny Johansson founder and creative director of Acne Studios, partnered with fragrance doyen, Frédéric Malle to create Acne Studio’s foray into fragrance, it was exciting news for both the fashion and beauty worlds. Both creators have worked with the principle of uncompromising creative freedom, which is a very good place to start when you want to create a fragrance that pushes the boundaries. Singular in nature with aldehydes at its core (but smell again and there is also rose, violet, orange blossom and a sweet hit of vanilla and peach in the mix), this radiant fragrance mirrors Acne Studio’s experimental nature and uncompromising attention to detail. Known for giving perfumers a stage to showcase their work (a noteworthy collaboration in itself), Frederic Malle tasked and mentored fragrance protégé, Suzy Le Helley to create this unisex fragrance which is as versatile, wearable and cool as a pair of the brand’s high rise, wide leg jeans.
Acne Studios par Frédéric Malle EDP is available at Mecca.com and Acne Studio stores.
Francis Kurkdjian & Dior Beauty
Bakarat Rouge was once a tightly-held secret amongst the fashion set. But the force of perfumer Francis Kurkdjian was never going to be locked away for long. Singular in his perfumes with fragrances that have “only what is needed” has made Francis Kurkdjian something of a rockstar in the competitive world of fragrance. So when Dior Beauty signed the fragrance expert on as the brand’s master perfumer, the beauty world was very excited. Two or so years into his tenure, Kurkdjian has reimagined Dior’s J’Adore and Miss Dior. These dreamy new iterations of the House’s iconic scents are in keeping with the creator’s intensified formulas that keep the note list to its core. It’s a true meeting of an artist and an iconic brand and we can’t wait to see what’s next for this exciting partnership.
Shop the collaboration at Dior.com
Chanel & the Cometes Collective
In 2023, Chanel Beauty announced its Cometes Collective, a collaboration with not one but three free-thinking makeup artists to work as the creative leads in the House’s colour makeup collections. The idea of forging a creative hub of emerging talent is a new one for the House and going by the exciting makeup to launch already in 2024, it feels like a smart move. We have already seen collections with Paravina and Li at the creative helm launch to a sell-out response. With the sentiment that colour is a reflection of our inner selves and, conversely, a way to reset how we feel within, the trio is pushing how we think about colour and how we can utilise it in our makeup. We have a feeling there is a lot more to come from this collaboration so the future of out makeup bags looks bright.
Shop the collaboration at chanel.com
Ole Henriksen & Anine Bing
We love when fashion and beauty come together and this partnership between Ole Henriksen and Anine Bing is exciting on many levels. Coming into the role as the skincare brand’s Scandi Brand Adviser (the coolest title we ever did hear) this collaboration brings together two Danish masterminds who have near endless amounts of style and know-how. Much as her style aesthetic is effortlessly refined and cool, Anine has a “less is more” approach to beauty and wellness too. Some of her mainstays? She drinks lemon water in the morning; sticks to smoky eyes rather than a red lip; and does icy ocean dips when she goes back to Denmark.
Shop the collaboration at OleHenriksen.com
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