Cover You’ve seen brands join forces with other brands, or team up with contemporary artists. But have you come across limited-edition collections born from partnerships with the world’s most iconic museums?
You’ve seen brands join forces with other brands, or team up with contemporary artists. But have you come across limited-edition collections born from partnerships with the world’s most iconic museums?
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You’ve seen brands join forces with other brands, or team up with contemporary artists. But have you come across limited-edition collections born from partnerships with the world’s most iconic museums?
Collaborations between fashion houses and artists are familiar territory, but what happens when cosmetics brands turn to museums for inspiration? In recent years, the beauty world has been seeking out cultural institutions—guardians of history, art and identity—to craft limited-edition collections that are not only visually exquisite, but also offer a richer, more evocative experience of beauty.
From the Louvre to the French National Museum of Natural History, and from classical art to ancient flora, beauty is becoming an unexpected yet striking new medium for storytelling: refined, imaginative, and alive with creativity.
Lancôme x Louvre
Cosmetics houses are reshaping how we engage with museums through exclusive collaborations that bring limited-edition beauty collections into our personal rituals. These projects go beyond mere inspiration, with many involving close partnerships with curators, transforming fine art into collectible cosmetics that live on our dressing tables.
One standout example is the 2023 Lancôme x Louvre collection, a makeup and skincare line that pays homage to nine of the Louvre’s most iconic sculptures. The result is a fusion of French artistry and beauty, each product a subtle tribute to a timeless muse.
Above Cosmetics houses are reshaping how we engage with museums through exclusive collaborations that bring limited-edition beauty collections into our personal rituals (photo: Lancome)
Cosmetics houses are reshaping how we engage with museums through exclusive collaborations that bring limited-edition beauty collections into our personal rituals (photo: Lancome)
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In a statement to the press, Louvre Museum president and director Laurence des Cars described the collaboration as a union of two French icons, offering “a new lens through which to appreciate the remarkable talent celebrated at the Louvre.” She called the collection “a dialogue between two cultural and civilisational concepts that transcend time and geography.”
Above This inaugural collaboration by Lancôme reimagines the revered muses of the Louvre—Venus de Milo, Nymph, and Diana of Gabii (photo: Lancome)
This inaugural collaboration by Lancôme reimagines the revered muses of the Louvre—Venus de Milo, Nymph, and Diana of Gabii (photo: Lancome)
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This inaugural collaboration by Lancôme reimagines the revered muses of the Louvre—Venus de Milo, Nymph, and Diana of Gabii—through sophisticated design and carefully curated shades. It features four rich hues of L’Absolu Rouge Matte lipstick, the cult-favourite Advanced Génifique Serum, and a five-shade Richelieu Wing eyeshadow palette, each presented in packaging adorned with images of classical masterpieces from the famed Paris museum.
Read more: Aromatherapy: The art of using scent to soothe the soul and heal the body
Pat McGrath x The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Think the Met Gala and the Costume Institute’s blockbuster exhibitions are solely the realm of fashion? Think again. In 2018, iconic makeup artist Pat McGrath unveiled a limited-edition beauty line in collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, marking a milestone for both her brand and the institution.
This wasn’t just a pivotal moment for McGrath. It also represented the first time the Met introduced beauty products to its museum shops, adding a new layer to the way we connect with art and apply it.
Above The gap between art and life has been applied more flexibly than ever in our 21st century (photo: Pat McGrath)
The gap between art and life has been applied more flexibly than ever in our 21st century (photo: Pat McGrath)
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This shows that the gap between art and life has been applied more flexibly than ever in our 21st century. And of course, for beauty enthusiasts, Pat McGrath Labs—Heavenly Bodies is a collection not to be missed, thanks to its exquisite packaging and the striking, imaginative colour combinations inside.
Above The Lust:Gloss line now introduces a new shade named Aliengelic (photo: Pat McGrath)
The Lust:Gloss line now introduces a new shade named Aliengelic (photo: Pat McGrath)
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The standout piece? The Lust:Gloss line now introduces a new shade named “Aliengelic”, inspired by celestial themes and ornate flourishes Pat encountered at the “Heavenly Bodies” Met Gala showcase. Her cult-favourite Mothership IV: Decadence Eyeshadow Palette also re-emerges with limited-edition packaging, echoing the grandeur of Renaissance and Baroque art featured in the exhibition.
Carrière Frères x Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle
The heritage French candle house Carrière Frères, established in 1884, has embarked on a rare and meaningful collaboration with one of France’s most revered institutions: the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (National Museum of Natural History). While The Louvre may enjoy international renown, to the French, this museum holds a uniquely national significance rooted in both historical value and a deep sense of cultural pride.
Above The heritage French candle house Carrière Frères has embarked on a rare and meaningful collaboration with one of France’s most revered institutions (photo: Carrière Frères)
The heritage French candle house Carrière Frères has embarked on a rare and meaningful collaboration with one of France’s most revered institutions (photo: Carrière Frères)
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The museum’s origins date back to 1635, when it served as the royal medicinal garden for King Louis XIII. Its crown jewel remains the Jardin des Plantes in the Latin Quarter of Paris, a living sanctuary for botanical study and public wonder.
Today, the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle stands not only as a centre for biodiversity conservation and environmental awareness, but also as a symbol of enduring fascination with the natural world, especially among younger generations.
Read more: La Beauté, Louis Vuitton’s new chapter in the world of beauty
Above Carrière Frères has channelled a distinctly “old money” sensibility into this collaboration (photo: Carrière Frères)
Carrière Frères has channelled a distinctly “old money” sensibility into this collaboration (photo: Carrière Frères)
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In this light, Carrière Frères has channelled a distinctly “old money” sensibility into this collaboration, not merely drawing inspiration from the museum’s archives, but honouring its rare and largely unsmelt history through three unique scents released in the summer of 2022.
Above Everything, from the scent profiles to the candle vessels, pays tribute to the roots of French botanical discovery (photo: Carrière Frères)
Everything, from the scent profiles to the candle vessels, pays tribute to the roots of French botanical discovery (photo: Carrière Frères)
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Everything, from the scent profiles to the candle vessels, pays tribute to the roots of French botanical discovery. Working alongside museum biologists, archivists and Grasse-based perfumers, the brand explored forgotten corners of the collection, bringing to life long-lost botanical species with distinct and storied pasts.
The trio of fragrances includes Wormwood, Acacia and Gunpowder—, each paired with an archival illustration (some unveiled for the first time), printed on the glass vessels. Many of these prints date back to the 17th century, offering an evocative union of scent and storytelling.
Article published from the original article in Tatler Vietnam, March 2025 issue
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