The force behind Gucci`s ever growing empire, Frida Giannini

Beauty
fashion’s
new
beauty
D
Words by sally matthews
The force behind Gucci’s ever growing empire, Frida Giannini catches up with
Bazaar to talk all things beauty, make-up mistakes and royal connections
Behind the scenes
of Gucci’s cosmetic
campaign with
Charlotte Casiraghi
248 | Harper’s BAZAAR | October 2014
Gucci’s creative
director, Frida
Giannini
ressed immaculately in a slinky
python-skin gown, hair perfectly
coiffed and with her eyes expertly
smoky, I first met Gucci’s creative
director Frida Giannini in Los
Angeles at LACMA’s swanky Art +
Film Gala last November, watching her cause quite the
flashbulb frenzy. This time we are on the East coast and the
‘Frida effect’ is happening all over again. Sporting a sparkly
custom-made Gucci jumpsuit, eyes carefully lined with
kohl, and skin glowing radiantly, the petite blonde is hosting
an intimate soirée at The Mark hotel in New York to herald
the arrival of Gucci’s first make-up line.
“I really don’t have a lot of time, so I cannot spend
what little spare time I have just on make-up,” Frida
casually announces when we meet the following morning
post-launch. “Usually, every day I am really quick, just
some foundation and mascara. Then, of course, if I have
an event or special red carpet appearance, I always have
a make-up artist and at that point I say do whatever ➤
October 2014| Harper’s BAZAAR|249
Beauty
A
royal
red hot
siren
Charlotte Casiraghi
looks every inch the
Gucci woman starring
in the house’s new
cosmetics campaign
fl u s h
“I h a d a lot of fun
Gucci’s beauty icons…
250 | Harper’s BAZAAR | October 2014
One of the most talked about women on the planet, Bazaar meets regal beauty
Charlotte Casiraghi , who has the fashion houses in a spin
“W
Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images, Valery Hache/Getty Images, Venturelli/Getty Images. Mert alas & marcus Piggott
you want,” she adds, laughing.
bec ause this is a n
This is difficult to believe,
given my previous encounters
importa nt project a nd
with the 42-year-old designer,
but today Frida is dressed down
i t s s o m e t h i n g I h av e
– albeit still immaculately –
with make-up light and natural.
a lways wa n te d t o d o ”
“I have quite sensitive skin and
every time I am stressed out
Frida Giannini
everything goes wrong with it.
I am quite stressed in my
general working life, so I really
need to use a specific cream
from the dermatologist,” she confides.
much like the house’s ready-to-wear collection:
At the helm of Gucci’s ever-growing empire, with glamorous, glossy, and luxe, all wrapped in chic black
countless fashion collections to produce, charity and gold packaging embossed with the Guccissima
initiatives to spearhead and a new cosmetics line to pattern and the iconic interlocking Gs. With a nod to
launch, oh, and not forgetting being mother to her one- 1970s beauty icons such as Charlotte Rampling, Anjelica
year-old daughter Greta, it’s no wonder things get a little Huston, Verushka and Brigitte Bardot, the bold use of
stressful living in the well-heeled, Italian-crafted shoes of colour with emerald and purple eye shadows feature as
Frida Giannini. Renowned for being something of an star products from the new line. “It was important to me
industry tour de force, the designer took the reins at the in the beginning to focus on the eyes because it’s the first
multi-million Dirham fashion house almost a decade ago contact you have with a person,” Frida explains.
and has since (amongst many other triumphs) carved out
As for consumers, their first sight of the beauty line
the perfectly marketable picture of the Gucci woman: will be on Princess Grace of Monaco’s granddaughter,
strong, seductive and totally modern.
Charlotte Casiraghi. “Charlotte is a girl, she likes
So, to welcome Gucci make-up, the final piece in her make-up and that’s where the idea came from,” Frida
perfect Gucci woman jigsaw. Four years in the making, it is explains. “When I saw her with blue eye shadow and this
obvious the creation of the cosmetic line (launching beautiful mouth, I thought she would be great for
regionally this month) has been something of a passion a cosmetic campaign.” Dressed in decadent gold with
project for Frida. “I had a lot of fun, because to me this is a chic burgundy lip for the campaign, the royal assumes
such an important project and it’s something I have always the role of modern day icon, looking every inch the
wanted to do... When you are working on something you powerful and sophisticated Gucci woman.
Power Liquid Liner,
are passionate about then everything is easier.” To counteract
With the fashion house already dedicated to strong 1.Dhs195
any stress and streamline the process, Frida recruited the women (Frida co-founded the charity Chime for Change
collaborative efforts of iconic make-up artist Pat McGrath. last year, which focuses on empowering women), Gucci’s 2. Golden Glow Bronzer in
“Pat was the natural choice, as I always work with her for the foray into beauty seems yet another way for Frida to make Caribbean Ochre, Dhs250
shows. She is so talented and really is a legend in the industry, her mark. “Make-up is like high-heeled stilettos. Sometimes 3. Audacious Color-Intense
so for me it was very important to have someone on my side we want to feel empowered and, like the shoes, when you Lipstick in Iconic Red,
who has the competence, the knowledge, and the experience. want to feel empowered you want to put on a lipstick Dhs200
While I can say, ‘oh this is a beautiful colour’, testing because it makes you feel confident”, she explains.
4. Bold High-Gloss Lacquer
firmness and feel is not my job because it’s not my field,” the
Armed with her sexy Gucci heels and her own range of in Iconic Red, Dhs138
designer openly admits. “With Pat we were like kids playing glossy new lipsticks, Frida, it appears, has created the 5. Lustrous Glow Foundation
with all the different formulas and trying on the all the perfect Gucci woman in herself.
with SPF 25, Dhs260
different nail polishes on every single finger. I would go to
meetings with all these different coloured nails and have to
say, ‘sorry I am working on cosmetics!’” she laughs.
Bazaar’s pick of the most coveted products from the collection
Not the first time, Frida admits, that she’s made the odd
beauty faux pas… “I spent a lot of time creating awful looks
1
in the 1980s,” she smiles. Looking the epitome of chic
4
today, perching on the couch in her New York suite, it’s hard
to imagine. “The ’80s was a moment of huge and heavy
2
make-up. I was a teenager, so I was trying to do Boy George
make-up with a very long winged eye, or the David Bowie
5
3
or the Madonna. I was really trying something different!”
These days, however, Frida prefers concealer as her secret
beauty weapon. “I use it very often because after 40, it is not
something you can live without,” she confides. “It covers a
lot when you are tired or travelling. It makes you feel better.”
Fortunately, the ’80s have been firmly left in the past
and Gucci’s new two hundred-piece cosmetic line is
high quality products and for me it’s very important that
hen I was thinking of who
a woman takes good care of her skin. I think I am careful
would be the face of the
in that respect, but I am equally not obsessive about
[Gucci beauty] collection it
stepping out with no make-up at all,” she explains.
was quite a hard choice
“I spend a lot of time in the countryside, a lot of time
because I didn’t just want a celebrity or just an actress.
practicing sports and competing, which means that
To me, the project is more around lifestyle,” explains
I can’t spend hours putting on make-up in my day-to-day
Gucci’s creative director, Frida Giannini who choose
life.” Charlotte is of course referring to her first love of
Charlotte Casiraghi, the granddaughter of Princess Grace
horse riding, which she pursues intensely, and which also
of Monaco, to be the face of the brand’s first beauty line.
originally bridged the relationship with Gucci when
“Charlotte embodies this sophistication, this royalty and,
Working a smoky
Frida Giannini designed an
by the way, has the perfect face.
blue eye at Gucci’s
cosmetics launch
exclusive equestrian wardrobe for
Talk about eyes, talk about
in New York
Charlotte in 2010.
lips, I don’t personally know
Charlotte’s sporting prowess
anyone that has a better face
princess
also explains why her post-baby
than Charlotte,” she adds.
diaries
body is in immaculate shape.
I soon know what Frida is
From
bold red lips and
Having given birth to her first
referring to when I find myself
blue eyeliner to
child, Raphäel, with partner Gad
standing in Charlotte’s Upper
fresh-faced flawless skin,
Elmaleh last year, she looks every
East Side hotel suite admiring
Charlotte Casiraghi
inch a svelte and sophisticated
the breathtaking Manhattan
shows she is a true
young mother. “I’m very lucky
view with the beautiful
beauty chameleon
because my passion is to horse
brunette. The family genes Showing off her
Front-row style means
ride so I never need to think
definitely paid their dues. Fifth- natural beauty at
high octane glamour
for Charlotte at the
about exercising. And I don’t
in-line to the Monégasque Horse Jumping
Gucci S/S15 show
think of it as exercise – it’s just
throne, Charlotte’s mother Championships
something that I love to do.
Princess Caroline has always
I think that horse riding for me definitely gives me the
been careful to shelter Charlotte from the limelight and
best balance and shape and everything.” After seeing her
I am reminded before our meeting that Charlotte should
up close, I am already booking in a trip to Desert Palm
be referred to as ‘Miss’ rather than ‘Princess’, a title which
for some riding lessons.
her mother chose not to bestow on her in the hope it
In spite of her outdoorsy pursuits, Charlotte has always
would allow her to lead a more normal life. But now, at
shown an interest in make-up, starting with nail polish.
the age of 28, Charlotte is voluntarily stepping into the
Effortless style
“I think that it’s the first thing you put on as a little girl.
public eye as the stunning face of Gucci Beauty.
with tousled hair
and dusky pink
We were all obsessed with having all the different and
“It’s always flattering to be asked to represent
lips in Milan
craziest colours; having as many colours as possible was
a make-up line and it’s fun... Any woman would
like a dream,” she smiles.
enjoy the opportunity,”
These days, Charlotte
she tells me. However,
“I th i nk eve ryone h a s th e i r [be auty]
counts light foundations,
Charlotte is not just any
concealer and mascara as
woman. Her pillowy
secr et but the most importa nt one is
her beauty essentials. “Skin
pout, flawless skin and
is the most important
beautiful
blue
eyes
th e gl ow you get from be i ng h a ppy ”
because you can go without
teamed with a gentle
eye or a lip make-up
demeanour and elegance
Charlotte Casiraghi
but you have to have
is a killer combination
clean skin.”
for a cosmetics line.
Not forgetting her
“I don’t wear sophisticated
affection for nail polishes, Charlotte gushes about Gucci’s
make-up like that every day but it’s nice to have the occasion
glamorous new versions... “I like to change shades all the
to experience different looks,” Charlotte explains modestly.
time and use different colours according to how I feel.”
Not one to shy away from dressing up, however, with
Everything a princess should be, with fairy tale good
all the major fashion houses queuing up to dress the royal
looks, elegance, poise and good grace, it is no wonder
descendent, Charlotte has had her fair share of paparazzi
that Charlotte has the worlds of fashion and beauty at her
moments. Most recently, she was spotted sitting pretty
feet – a 21st-century day Princess Charming. ■
front row at Milan fashion week last month. “I enjoy
October 2014| Harper’s BAZAAR|251