A Whole Lot of Love...

Julian, our Chairman and Founder, tells me about the special relationship Illamasqua has developed with the incomparable and legendary Courtney Love:

"Courtney holds a special place for me and for the founding months of Illamasqua. She was, in her words, 'driven nuts by the advert we placed in Grazia'! She rang the counter direct from L.A and ordered loads of product. She loved the quality and intensity of the product so much that she now tells anybody and everybody that never before has she felt so passionate about a make up brand.

On a technical level Courtney's understanding of make up is as good as anybody who works in our laboratories! She knows her stuff and this makes it all the more special that she now wears Illamasqua.

She has become a real muse for me personally. Performance and dressing up and playing with your alter ego was the founding directive and for me, Courtney was great at all three.

The biggest compliment however is her make up collection - I've seen it personally and its impressive. Impressive for the fact its predominantly Illamasqua but the other brand is nothing other than than Kevyn Aucoin. Talk about been known by the company you keep. Kevyn for us is very, very good company. I know Courtney knew Kevyn personally and loved him very much.

When we eventually met for the first time it was 'easy' - we got on like old friends and played make-up. Courtney is an amazing artist herself and the clothes she makes ( for me she constructs, deconstructs and sculpts clothes) are very, very clever. I respect her mind and for some crazy reason she respects mine.

As she texted me last week... 'me and Illamasqua are having a mad affair'. We are with her too."

I will be posting more about this at a later stage, so stay tuned!

Artistic Director of Illamasqua, Alex Box, created the above look for Courtney Love for the Elle Style Awards 2009.