From Aesop To DS & Durga, The Brands That Mix Beauty With Culture

Fashion has long oscillated between worlds separate to that which it occupies; Schiaparelli and Dali, Louis Vuitton and Murukami/Yamamoto, Prada’s spring/summer 2019 collection – created in collaboration with a trio of female architects – even & Other Stories and interiors brand House of Hackney… The relationship between beauty and other creative genres however is still, arguably, behind the curve. But there is a cultural switch bubbling under the mainstream. It is one that is currently driven by “beyond beauty” niche brands like Aesop, and fragrance labels such as Byredo, Buly and Diptyque. This new mood does not operate in a silo where the collaborators are social media influencers with huge followings in the beauty world. Instead these brands are tapping operators and tastemakers – established, niche, new guard and left of centre – moving in the worlds of art, design, music, film, literature, and fashion. It is a fluidity that is spawning an exciting, culture-driven subgenre of the beauty industry. And so right now, in the words of Moj Madhara, co-founder and CEO of Beauty Con Media, “beauty is officially a cultural movement”. Read more at British Vogue.