don’t ask us to shoes
Fashion features ed Lisa went to London for a peek at Charlotte Olympia’s M.A.C collab
My grandmother Zehava was a blond bombshell who looked like she could have been on the silver screen. She always had her hair set ‘just so’ and wore red lipstick. She definitely provided insight into the world of glamour as I was growing up. I’ve always loved black-and-white movies—Rita Hayworth is my favourite redhead, Lauren Bacall is my favourite brunette and Marilyn Monroe is my favourite blonde. I thought of the three of them as I was making these lipsticks because they’re all different in personality, so the lipsticks have different attitudes.
“I always like to say ‘Dress from the feet up.’ Old Hollywood was an era of rich accessories: Women wouldn’t leave the house without their hat, gloves, shoes, matching stockings and lipstick. When I started designing clothes, I always created the shoes, hats and bags to go with each outfit—I was very accessories focused. At the time, I didn’t know that you could study to be a shoe designer; it had always been about creating a head-to-toe look. For me, makeup is also an accessory that can change an outfit—wearing red lips or a smoky eye matters.
“The essence of my brand always comes from a classic bygone era. My accessories tend to be a bit more embellished, but when it comes to dressing and makeup, it’s about having balance. My makeup collection had to be classic and timeless. Your shoes can change, but the makeup stays the same.” n