The brilliant future of make-up
After more than ten years as Givenchy’s Colours and Make-up Creative Director, Nicolas Degennes, still hopes "to surprise and be surprised".
He strongly believes that "the future for make-up is still looking bright. In a world of exposure, it has become unavoidable. We are going to add to colour cosmetics skincare notions for an improved comfort and surface correction. The future of make-up lies in science which is evolving faster and faster!"
In 1999 Nicolas Degennes arrives at Parfums Givenchy. "These ten years have been a collective adventure, he explains. We all ’professionally’ grew up together. I also discovered a world I did not know. New concepts for me: business, profitability that becomes challenging. I was compelled to understand the expectations, differences and evolutions. I learn a lot.”
And he learns fast. So, for Givenchy too, this adventure is bearing fruit. Representing a modest activity at the time, make-up now contributes to more than 20% of the brand’s turnover.
Understanding luxury
For Nicolas Degennes, to work for a brand such as Givenchy means: "Being aware of what is a luxury brand. Respecting its codes and identity while insuring its evolution.”
"When I took over from Olivier Echaudemaison, stresses Degennes, I didn’t specifically know Givenchy’s make-up. The 4 Gs had disappeared. I wanted to rediscover the codes of the House to make sure it was still moving ahead."
Stars, tinsel and glitter
But there was a life before Givenchy. And Nicolas Degennes’s success is rooted in these years before.
He enters the world of make-up in 1981 during a stay in the U.S. At the age of 18, Nicolas becomes the official make-up Artist of the American make-up brand On Stage.
In 1985 he decides to join the Parisian school of Christian Chauveau, headed by Dany Sanz, the founder of Make-Up For Ever. He will then grow a passion for stage or film make-up, special effects, body art, transformations and the discovery of new materials...
End of 1985, he joins the TV channel Canal +, which was just founded in France. An opportunity to meet artists, agents, and directors in an atmosphere of freedom and creation... He suggests pop singer Mylène Farmer to test another look and successfully dares the pallor and the strangeness of a white make-up.
As the Canal+ Chief makeup artist, Nicolas Degennes takes in charge events such as Les Césars (French movie awards),and The Cannes Film Festival. “I have a compulsive greed for images, he explains. And the channel decided to entrust me with the responsibility of its image. Against all odds, I decided to dress up the whole channel in black & white.” And it worked!
Givenchy’s legacy
When he arrives at Givenchy, Nicolas Degennes strives to rediscover the legacy of Monsieur Hubert de Givenchy through cosmetics. With Le Make Up, he revives the brand’s initials and assumes this couture legacy of which he tries to transcribe the contents and philosophy.
During ten years one collection follows another: Délice de Chocolat, Artycolor, without forgetting Diamantassiez the concept of jewel make-up, The Poetics, etc.
There were also non-standard creations like Baby Lips, "a material-free colour developer just a natural reaction, a rush of blood to the lips." We can also name Lash Pearls: "This was my first go at polymers. I love transformation. Makeup is not meant to be serious."
And of course, Phenomen’Eyes "a revolution, a technical performance," Nicolas Degennes insists, "with the famous patented spherical brush, that loads the eyelashes, even the shortest ones, even the ones in the inner corner of the eye, for a broad panoramic and very graphic effect."
New materials
The future of make-up, according to Nicolas Degennes "will obviously come from new materials. A make-up to better suit people all day long. We’ll have to invent new words for new products. Conceive make-up differently."
Nicolas Degennes will participate in the round table on the theme of art direction on June 23, 2011 during MakeUp in Paris in co-operation with MUP magazine.
