Launch of the Year: Prestige

Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs has never been about cookie-cutter style, so it stands to reason that his debut color cosmetics collection—notoriously hostile territory for a designer—was anything but ordinary. “I believe in individuality. What I think comes across as most stylish and modern is a kind of irreverence and a sort of self-confidence,” he said at the launch. To that end, Marc Jacobs Beauty, a 122-stockkeeping-unit line created in conjunction with Sephora Originals and launched exclusively at the retailer in early August, is broken down into four categories: Smart Complexion, Hi-Per Color, Blackquer (Jacobs’ personal favorite) and Boy Tested, Girl Approved. Jacobs was highly involved in every aspect of development, from packaging to shade ranges to product names (Shameless, a blush inspired by one of his tattoos, is a favorite—“To me, shameless is just an aspiration,” he quipped). The line may be irreverent, but it’s still serious business: Industry sources indicated sales could reach $15 million in the first six months. Shortly after the launch, Jacobs announced he was leaving his post as designer of Louis Vuitton to focus on his signature collection and ready it for a future initial public offering. But don’t look for Jacobs to take a more standardized approach to this, or any other, business. “I like the idea of transforming oneself, making and modeling yourself to what you feel like being,” he said. “I like the transformative qualities of fashion and fashion to me is not just clothing, it’s the whole ritual of making these choices that will tell the world who you want to be that day.”