21-year-old Emma Watson is best known for
her decade-long run as the character of Hermione Granger in the multi-million
dollar film saga, Harry Potter. Her
influence in the fashion world has only come to the fore in the last few years,
but her status as a style icon is quickly being cemented.
Emma Watson in Marie Claire Image from barnorama.com |
Cast at age nine in one of the most
coveted roles in film history with no professional acting experience to speak
of, Watson was clearly someone to watch. Growing up in front of the cameras,
she was soon fronting Burberry campaigns, modelling collections for People Tree and Alberta Ferretti – both of which she helped to design – and gracing
magazine covers all over the world, including Teen Vogue at just 15. She even
earned a place at top Ivy League college, Brown, in the United States to study
literature as she wrapped up her time on the Potter set.
Emma modelling for Teen Vogue Image from popcrunch.com |
The down-to-earth star is now
balancing her year abroad studies at Oxford University with her soaring acting
career. In March of 2011, the leading lady became the face of French cosmetics
brand Lancôme, following in the footsteps of renowned actresses Kate
Winslet, Julia Roberts and Anne Hathaway.
She
is the youngest woman to ever front a campaign for the brand. Lancôme’s president, Youcef Nabi, said that the team
was thrilled to have her on board: “Thanks to her charm, romanticism and her
incredible modernity, Emma Watson has become the icon of her generation. We are
delighted by this new collaboration with Emma, who brings a fresh spirit to Lancôme.”
Emma Watson at Oxford Image from hellomagazine.com |
Her
first campaign was for a new perfume called Trésor Midnight Rose. Last month, British
beauty launched her new makeup range of Rouge
in Love lipsticks and Vernis in Love
nail polish in Oxford Street’s Selfridges. The lipsticks last for up to six
hours and are noted for their hydrating quality. They were “probably the
product[s] I was most excited about when I came on board,” Watson said. “I
actually chose the colour that I wore in the [promotional] shoot, which is a
really bright red.”
Emma Watson: Lancôme Rouge in Love Campaign Image from karlasugar.net |
At
the unveiling, the actress spoke about why she chose to work with the beauty
giant. “I’ve always loved Lancôme
as a brand. It’s based in the [city where] I was born, which is Paris, France.
It’s very classic but also very modern. It’s always on the edge of technology,
[with] new developments and new discoveries, but it has this kind of eternal
elegance and beauty. It’s just a brand that I really identified with.”
When
asked how involved she was in the collection, she replied: “Luckily for me, I’m
someone who loves makeup. Lancôme
have been very collaborative with me on all the projects that I’ve done and, in
particular, this one. I’ve made no secret of the fact that [the lipstick] is
actually my favourite product that we’ve done together.” She raved about the
creation, describing it as “a beautiful thing in itself, other than the fact
that it’s a gorgeous piece of makeup. The actual casing is just beautiful and
it’s the kind of thing that you want to carry around for your life. […] It’s a
naturally beautiful object."
Image from iheartwatson.net |
Of the 24 lipstick hues, Watson mentioned her favourite shades for daytime are the
soft pinks of Corail in Love and Rose Boudoir. In the evening, she turns to a
sheer red called Miss Coquelicot. Each lipstick retails at £21. The nail
varnish is £12 per bottle, coming in a variety of striking nude to bright
tones. The bright colours of the range are perfect for spring.
Speaking to Selfridge’s Buying Director, David
Walker Smith, she smiled: “Oh, I’ve always loved makeup, even more than
clothes. It has such a transformative nature. [If you] wake up feeling a bit
grey and tired, [then] you can put it on and just feel completely different
about yourself and about your day.”
Emma Watson speaking at her Lancôme makeup launch, February 2012 Image from omg.yahoo.com |
The
range is available at all good beauty outlets nationwide.
First published by Sin Newspaper, Volume 13 Issue 11.