Breaking News!! Joe Corre Joins Illamasqua...

Avant-garde, beautiful, daring, creative, explosive, inspirational, provocative. Words that you may well relate to Illamasqua.

At Illamasqua, we also relate them to Agent Provocateur, one of the world’s leading underwear brands. Agent Provocateur has always been a brand that we have been inspired by – unique, quality, luxury pieces, cutting-edge advertising, evocative, controversial and boundary-pushing campaigns. Who can forget the Kylie Minogue bull riding film or the orgiastic passion of the collections starring the voluptuous figures of Alice Dellal, Helena Christensen, Kate Moss, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley to name but a few?

You can imagine how thrilled I am, then, to announce that Joe Corre - co founder of Agent Provacateur and son of the British fashion icon Dame Vivienne Westwood - has become a formal shareholder at Illamasqua! He also owns the explosive menswear label A Child Of The Jago - you may remember that we provided the looks for his brooding models at London Fashion Week in September.

I am so excited to work alongside such a genuine legend [did you know he turned down an MBE from Tony Blair?!] and to help us look in to launching our own stand-alone stores!

Joe tells me that Illamasqua is “a British brand like no other! The heritage of [Illamasqua’s] products and formulation show that [Illamasqua] are the only colour cosmetic brand in the prestige market that can truly claim the word 'professional'. Born from visionary, passionate energy, which it exudes from every pore, Illamasqua celebrates the fundamental human desire for individual self expression. It is therefore a brand which transcends all boundaries. I am extremely excited to be on board and helping to make it a brand to be seriously reckoned with”.

Julian Kynaston, founder of Illamasqua, tells me “We know that we have turned many heads since we opened our first counter in Selfridges Oxford St back in November 08. To have turned Joe’s to the point where he really wanted to invest and become a part of the team however is an achievement and one I am very excited about.”

The Making of the Sophie Film

For all of you who, like me, have been touched by the Sophie Lancaster: A Dark Angel film, I am delighted to bring you this video from the night of the film launch in Manchester Cathedral Gardens on 26th November 2009.

It includes an interview with Julian Kynaston, founder of Illamasqua, and other key figures in the making of the film.

Please follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2vUpZ-2bxI

Please leave us your comments about it if you feel the need to so and I will make sure that Sylvia and Julian see them.

Sophie: A Dark Angel Premiere at Manchester Cathedral Gardens

Unfortunately, I didn't get to go to Manchester for the screening of the Sophie: A Dark Angel film, so I caught up with Claire from Propaganda who has been a pivotal figure in the creation and publicity of this film and has had close correspondence with Sylvia Lancaster.

Hi Claire. Can you tell me about the idea behind last nights event?

"We had been looking for somewhere to show the film not just to the UK press but also to the public as well as friends and family of Sophie and Sylvia to commemorate what would have been Sophie's 23rd Birthday."

Where was the event held?

"Manchester Cathedral Gardens was the perfect venue due to the tranquil yet poignant atmosphere right in the heart of Manchester City Centre. The news teams, including the BBC, ITV, Metro, Channel 5 and Sky News were there to film and interview Sylvia prior to the speech."

What happened?

"The crowd started to gather around 6:30pm whilst Sylvia went from interview to interview with a bunch of 23 black balloons.

At 7pm, after an incredibly moving speech where Sylvia thanked everyone for coming, Illamasqua for our donations and support and spoke about the Foundation and it's long term aims, Sophie's best friend released the balloons into the night sky. The film was then played and there was not a dry eye among the 150 plus people that came to pay their respects.

The film continued on a loop until 11pm and people came and went, but all were completely silent whilst the film played out. It was hauntingly beautiful. Afterwards, we had a candlelit reception for the press, family and friends of the Lancasters."

I also spoke with Julian Kynaston, Chairman and founder of Illamasqua, to ask him about his thoughts and feelings of the evening...

What were your thoughts on the evening?

"I enjoyed it very much. Whilst the film was playing, I didn't watch it but watched the faces of those who had not seen it before and half of them were in tears and the other half who knew her could not bring themselves to watch it.

I knew then that we had accomplished what we had set out to do - to show everyone the harrowing reality of intolerance and prejudice that exists in our society today. To see so many people in one place come together and to stir that kind of emotion up in them was important to me. We cannot let anyone forget the case of Sophie Lancaster or what her case represents in wider society."

Why does Illamasqua have such strong ties with the Sophie Foundation?

"The two are intrinsically linked - when Illamasqua was at it's very early stages, when we were just cementing the core values of the brand - the celebration of individualism and the beauty of the sub-cultures, from goths to punks to club kids to drag queens and everyone inbetween - along comes this innocent young woman who simply because of the clothes that she wore had been targetted by a group of youths and murdered. I was disgusted, outraged and absolutely heartbroken that the values we are trying to promote at Illamasqua had been used against someone.

Illamasqua encourages you to look different and yet here was this young woman who had been killed precisely because of that. I got in contact with Sylvia and vowed to help support the charity. There was never the "we are a company who must find a charity to make ourselves look good" mentality; it is part of our DNA now."

How much has Illamasqua raised for the Sophie charity so far?

"On the night, we presented Sylvia with a cheque for £5,000 which rounds up the figure we have raised through sales of our Sophie pencil.

We also had representatives selling the Sophie pencil and wristbands on the night. After the reception Sylvia, some friends and myself went out for dinner and Sylvia presented me with a framed picture of Sophie. Words cannot express the feeling that I felt at that moment.

I feel very confident that the Sophie Lancaster Foundation can only go from strength to strength."

The global media coverage, response from internet communities and the general public has been phenomenal. At last count, the film has had over 30,000 views on Youtube in little more than a day and last night saw the international premier on MTV. Thank you to everyone who has helped with the production of this film and to those of you who have watched and circulated it - let's continue our efforts to ensure that this moving film is seen by as many people as possible.

"This film is to mark Sophie's birthday. This film is not pulling any punches. The message is too important, it has to go out there." Sylvia Lancaster

Illamasqua Icons: Lol

Julian Kynaston, Chairman of Illamasqua, has chosen the character of Lol from the film This Is England as his Illamasqua Icon.

For those of you who have yet to see Shane Meadows 2007 drama - an insightful portrayal into the 1980s Youth culture; in paticular the original skinhead subculture - it has a riveting cast, including Vicky McClure, who plays Lol.

Julian tells me more:

"With three essential parts of Illamasqua being ....1) Youth Culture 2) Professional Make Up for stage and screen and also...3) Human Fundamentalism [our term for respecting everyone no matter what their background] one actress sums this up for me more than any other.

Vicky McClure’s roles have always engaged me. As an actress I think she is simply awesome. Her portrayal of Lol in Shane Meadows This Is England is stunning. Playing a skinhead in the role Vicky stands for the beliefs of the original skinhead culture and is disgusted by the new wave of racism that is sweeping the country and dividing her gang.

In this role she delivers to me all what I recall from my own youth is best about youth culture and the amazing feeling that goes along with being part of something. Vicky is an amazing actress...what I would call a 'serious' actress.

Vicky's look as Lol is seriously Iconic for me. The skinhead girls looked and still look amazing... if ever their was a unique look... this is it for me.

Vicky...where are you? Come and play with us here at Illamasqua. We love you!"


Vicky rocked the Punk/New wave look that was popular in the 1980s, with an androgynous mix of skinhead and smoky eye make-up. The pale skin and sharply contoured cheeks was part and parcel of the 1980's makeup looks - try Cream Foundation in 110 and Powder Blusher in 'Disobey' would give a similar look to the image of Lol, above.

The lips are left bare [how would Lol smoke with lipgloss on?!] and the eyes are smudged with charcoal. Try Medium Pencil in 'Sophie' for a glossy black or 'Errant' for a navy/grey.

Whats In A Name?

If there is one question I get asked more than any other, it's how to pronounce Illamasqua. Officially, it's Illa-mass-ka. However, as in our make-up application beliefs, there is no right or wrong way... it's about everyone's individual interpretation.

OK, so that's how you say it. So what does it mean?!

I managed to grab a moment with Julian, the founder and Chairman of Illamasqua, to tell me more about the mystery surrounding the name...

"I wanted a name which would be unique to us but also which would allow everyone to hold their own slightly unique interpretation. To this end it was almost certain that we would have to make our own word up!

Ideas were coming forward at the time that were perfect for us but were just too literal: Masquerade and Illusion were two clear favourites. At the time I had just read Anne Rice’s 'Interview with a Vampire' and was stopped dead on the page by the first mention of the Talamasca –I loved the thought of what it stood for and loved the way the word sounded when you said it. It wasn’t a big leap in taking the “Ill” of illusion and the “masquer” of masquerade and forming them with the same sound of Talamasca: Illamasqua.

From the moment it was written is sounded like it had been with us for ever – I always felt it had a Far Eastern feel to it too which I kind of liked to as it felt mysterious."

How about the logo?


"The logo came from an image I saw of a heart being pierced by the Cross and blood flowing from it. It was only in the later stages of the design that the very same shape took on the reversed ‘Q’ with I suppose most people think we lifted from the Q in Illamasqua. Happy coincidence!"

So that's the inspiration behind the name. What is your interpretation of the name? Let us know in the comments section below!

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.

Alex Box Biography and Exclusive Interview

Alex Box studied and exhibited as an installation artist before training to become a make-up artist, with her main focus on relationships between the body and the environment. As a make-up artist, she went on to explore this relationship between art, science, nature and the magical. Today, Alex creates out of the box [!] looks for designers including Gareth Pugh, Alexander McQueen, Biba and Chanel.

Leading the field in experimental beauty, she is a regular contributor to i-D, Vogue, V, Harpers Bazaar and 10 magazine as well as ShowStudio online.

I grabbed a quick word with the lady herself…

Hi Alex, how are you today?

I am very good! I have got a lot done – I’ve met with two photographers to talk about creative projects for the near future, had a conference call with Rankin about our new book and been to the dentist. I’m now off to Brewer Street for a late lunch and to pick up some material!

Why did you agree to become Artistic Director for Illamasqua?

How could I say no? Julian Kynaston [Chairman of Illamasqua] approached me through Myspace after reading an article about me, written by Bethan Cole for the Sunday Times Style where I mentioned that the art of applying and enjoying make-up was being slowly lost and replaced by corporate cosmetic fads. He came to me and presented an idea for an emotional cosmetic brand that would bring the fun and life back into an increasingly stagnant industry. The fact that he approached me in such a human and informal way – through Myspace – really touched me and I fell hook line and sinker for his vision. It was not corporate, it was not business, it was passion and I absolutely understood where he was coming from as it was coming straight from the heart. We could not have been more in tune and so it was inevitable that we would form a really solid relationship.

How has the journey from idea to reality been for you?

Amazing. Ive learnt a lot; how you develop a range literally, how you translate ideas into physical product and the highs and lows of life on the production and business side of cosmetics. Of course, there are frustrations - certain pigments can’t be used on certain areas of the face, certain textures are impossible to achieve, but it is the struggles that make you really appreciate the triumphs.

I am a creative at heart and I believe that if you have a strong enough idea and enough passion and commitment to something then it can create something wonderful. I have become extremely confident and proud of Illamasqua – our visions are being shared by so many people and it is extraordinary to be a part of something like that. I believe we have barely scratched the surface. Illamasqua is going to be huge and I am going to be there every step of the way!

Has exploring individuality has always been more important to you than trends?

Yes. It’s a life long journey to discover yourself, who you are, what you believe in. Why pretend to be someone else or do what everyone else is doing? Trends are very transparent. If you try to be on trend, you’re already off which is the irony of fashion. Once you are wearing the trends, the ‘trend setters’ are on to the new thing and thus you have already fallen behind. You become like a dog chasing your own tail.

One person being labelled ‘alternative’ does not create a movement – you need more than one voice and at Illamasqua we have a whole choir! When you look at it from that perspective, our counters become even more incredible.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to become a make-up artist?

Believe in yourself and just go with what is in your heart – a lot of people will tell you to adapt and change your ideas to suit the current fashions and if that is who you are then fine, but to be an innovator you need to be able to step away from it all and be able to reflect on your life and experiences you have had. Take time out to experience new cultures, visit exhibitions and spend time with friends as this will influence your work and give your work a view point and develop your artistic impulse. What will inspire you otherwise?

The best advice I ever received was when I was just starting out - a top make-up artist told me: It’s a stayers race. This is completely true – many people will drop away but it’s all about stamina and belief.
How would you describe your style?

An acid goth. Pure and simple.

Check out the Box News feature later this week to find out what Alex has been up to!

Welcome To The Illamasqua Blog Page!

Hello and thanks for checking out the Illamasqua blog! This blog aims to bring you not only the latest news, events, gossip and development from the world of Illamasqua, but also endeavours to give you a glimpse into the hectic and fun world of cosmetics – introduce you to the team, see who does what and show you how a beauty company works.

Illamasqua is a privately owned company, based in London [where else?!] and have only been retailing since November 2008.

Celebrated make-up artist Alex Box is our Artistic Director and artist Anja Huwe former frontwoman of German goth band X Mal Deutschland and David Vanian, lead singer of the legendary Damned both had a big input into the creative development of Illamasqua.

There are normally nine of us in the main Head Office [I say normally as we are always constantly on the move and I think the last time we were all in the same office at the same time was about a month ago now!] and they are:

Julian – Chairman and founder...

Kate – Marketing and Product Director...

Carl – Managing Director
Katie – Product Development Manager
Crispian – Customer Service Executive
Maurice – HR Manager

Jonathan – Retail Operations Manager
Lucy – Intern

And me – Alex – Marketing Assistant. I will be writing most of these blogs so if you want to get in contact with me, just leave a comment on the post and I will be sure to read it.

For more information on our in-store artists, visit www.illamasqua.com and follow the About Us link to find details of our Manchester and London artists. Details on artists at the newer counters will be uploaded soon.

For a more thorough background of who we are and what we represent, check out the website at www.illamasqua.com - there are also some beautiful images on there and to quote Napoleon Bonaparte [why not, eh] A picture tells a thousand words…