I love Givenchy makeup. I was using it for many years before it became a hot ticket. I used Prisme powders when I was in graduate school, and that was a long time ago. The other night, I went Internet surfing to try to find the Givenchy Spring/Summer 2011 Collection. What I found was an existential discourse on life, nature, energy, sensations, happiness, and experience. I'm not sure I can make sense of the quirky "storyboard" as I read it, so I present it to you unedited (with the exception of fixing a typo).If the world's first woman were to be born today in the primeval garden, she would no doubt have a different vision of paradise. Nature would be tamed, its energy restrained, creating an ambiance in which she would more likely cut down the Tree of Knowledge than water it.
But springtime always manages to awaken desires and dispel gloomy ideas. The impulse to seek gratification is driven by a sixth sense, making us eager for any and all sorts of sensations. A breath of pure air to be discovered or devised.
The must-have Blush Gelée is a rich elixir of youth, illuminating a self-assured candor with fresh energy. NAÏVEMENT COUTURE ("naively couture") is an autosuggestion of happiness. Skin bared to the sunlight, we purge our sensations and embrace our innocence in order to accept our feelings. The exhilarating purity of light, a gentle warmth, tenuous and sensual, that transports us to an apogee of emotion, to be reborn with a uniquely personal authenticity. A rebirth that makes sense of the sensorial and focuses on the essential.
To let ourselves succumb to a playful nature that knows where to tickle to raise a smile, like giving ourselves over to the hands of the designer for that first couture gown, this collection suggests a beauty that is lived and experienced.
Allowing the hand to wield its innate intelligence, to play with lovely colours and fresh textures, is an invitation to enjoy the precious, cunning gift of self-indulgence. A natural, soothing sensuality for a springtime filled with joy.
Did that make sense to you? What follows is slightly more cogent.
The limited-edition
Blush Gelée caught my eye. Called "a new beauty sensation on skin," this blush was created by Nicolas Degennes, who wanted to create a playful must-have product that would offer a new "beauty sensation on skin." Blush Gelée is an oh-so-fresh and soft jelly texture that easily melts into the cheeks for a natural and buildable result. With a unique integrated soft foam applicator and a very soft end that slightly touches the skin to leave the ideal touch of "emotion" on cheeks, Blush Gelée should appeal to those who love cream blushes. A skin-like buildable result : a very natural fresh rosy glow on cheeks, for a healthy “pinched cheeks” look.
The Harmony in Candide Garden n°78 offers brown and orange tones for essential eyes, awakened by a touch of fresh spring green. Thanks to the powder atomizing technique, the particles are smaller and more even for a smooth, uniform finish and colors that stay vibrant all day long. With this new product, Givenchy is introducing a new "clap & slide" case. Open then slide out the lower drawer. In one step, you have access to eye shadows, a mirror, and three applicators.
There will be a limited edition of Rouge Interdit in Candide Tangerine n°50. This is the touch of orange we were promised for spring. Nicolas Degennes created a vivid acid orange, in line with the vital energy of the collection, to warm up the face with a fruity touch of joy.Dare to surrender!
The lipstick that makes the lips so irresistible that they should be forbidden. This isn't just any lipstick, according to Givenchy - it's also a fashion accessory, an object of desire that is simply elegant and absolutely feminine. The color is vibrant and radiant. Lips are supple and satiny with well-defined contours. A more feminine tube case than ever before. Its ribbon and lacquered black tube case make it a real fashion accessory.
What's the secret?
An avant-garde technology for shimmering colors. Used for the first time in the formulation of a lipstick are liquid crystals - multi-layered pigments that reflect the light - were selected to make color more luminous than ever. Enriched with Gold of Pleasure oil, the Rouge Interdit formula is highly moisturizing. Thanks to the Senso-Oil Complex, which contains castor oil and beeswax, its texture is unctuous and ultra-comfortable while staying ultra-fine.Rouge Interdit Shine will be available in Candide Nude n°27, a shade that looks like nude tones were selected to sublimate the inner beauty of lips with essential shine.
Shine so intense it should be forbidden!
A lipstick filled with dazzling sparkles, rich in vibrant reflections and precious glimmers.
What's the secret? A goldsmith's formula: two types of pearlescent particles for unrivaled shine and maximum light reflection to ensure a stunning result. Crystal shine in a texture that pairs comfort and shimmering colors.
Back to orange with the limited-edition Gloss Interdit in Candide Tangerine n°30, a vivid orange shade, to go with the Rouge Interdit of the collection.
See anything that catches your eye? I'm curious about the eye shadows. I assume the collection will be available at Sephora.
Photos courtesy of Givenchy
Hmmmm . . . I wonder if the person who wrote that driveling copy is suffering from thought disorder. What a muddled and uncomplimentary picture of women it painted! The only thing worse than this type of ridiculousness is that somewhere there is a group of marketing people who actually think women are vacuous and insipid creatures who will be inspired by such malarkey to make a purchase.
ReplyDeleteI understand that there is always going to be a certain amount of exaggeration, pseudo-science, and flowery imagery involved in the marketing of cosmetic products, but this Givanchy copy is over the top and insulting. I've worn Gloss Interdit for a couple of years, but reading Givanchy's take on women makes me want to step away from their counter.
Have you noticed that the trend being shown on some of the runways is to wear blush much higher on the cheek bone rather than on the apples of the cheeks? Givanchy's
look is, of course, much stronger and more dramatic than would be worn in real life, but Chanel has a lovely interpretation that gives us a good idea of how the look will translate. Higher placed, soft blush and emphasis on the upper eyelids rather than a smoky eye--it will be interesting to see if the look is embraced.
Hi Eileen,
ReplyDeleteYour comment left me laughing out loud. The copy is insulting! The sentence that really disturbed me was this one...
"Nature would be tamed, its energy restrained, creating an ambiance in which she would more likely cut down the Tree of Knowledge than water it."
Hello, Givenchy? Can we be sophisticated and care about the environment? Are we such self-centered creatures in Givenchy's world that we only care about ourselves and our self-awareness? I was hoping that the copy was a bad translation, but it's so consistently dismal, it left me stunned.
As for blush placement, I have seen some artsy looks, such as the one here, that place blush high on the cheekbones. Rather than being a trend, it might simply be the artist working with a model's face to create "the look." The higher the blush, the more it emphasizes one's eye color, rather than chiseled cheekbones. You've got a good eye!
Hi Charlestongirl. I got a laugh at the absurd notion of some poor, dimwitted woman chopping down the Tree of Wisdom, but the line that really got to me was, ". . . allowing the hand to wield its innate intelligence . . ." Isn't it nice to know that our brains might be totally lacking in intelligence, but our hands seem to have an abundance of it? The next time someone asks me a question that requires some thought, I'll tell them I have to consult my hands. :-)
ReplyDeleteEileen, it will be interesting to see if the description(s) are edited before the collection is launched in the U.S. Hopefully, a savvy editor got her hands on it!
ReplyDeleteYou're too funny! Yes, indeed, let's hope a good editor got her HANDS on it, because according to Givanchy, that's where the women folk store their intelligence :-) Have a great evening, Charlestongirl.
ReplyDeleteEileen, that was the best laugh I've had - in weeks!
ReplyDeleteHand power! Too bad there are no nail polishes in the collection. Can you imagine the power?
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't believe it, it is crap!.so I went to the Givenchy site and read the same thing in French: it is signed by "Nicolas Degennes", the Givenchy make-up artist...I am pretty sure he didn't write it himself but was helped by some obscure "gratte-papier" (penpusher?) It doesn't make sense here and sounds rather pompous and affected! Let's hope the make-up will be worth a try:-)
Well, Clarisse, that blows up my theory of a bad translation. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat were "they" thinking? I wonder how Sephora will sanitize such nonsense when they launch the look.