Laura Mercier and Altuzarra Unite For NYFW — Retail Bum

In pursuit of a more significant presence in artistic cosmetics, makeup brand Laura Mercier made its first-ever behind-the-scenes appearance at New York Fashion Week on Monday, September 11, 2023.

At the Altuzarra show, the heritage beauty brand went backstage to display its “Flawless Face” makeup look, known for its popularity in the 1990s.

The brands came together based on their founders’ shared background in the arts. Altuzarra studied art and art history in college, while Mercier studied painting and drawing in Paris.

“Our overall intention at New York Fashion Week ties into our plans to build on our strong product foundation to elevate, modernize and sharpen the overall brand positioning,” said Diane Kim, global president of Laura Mercier. “We’re evolving from a product-focused proposition to a more holistic, brand-based proposition that has a clear point of view anchored in a heritage of artistry.”

Altuzarra’s spring 2024 collection is inspired by French New Wave cinema and its rhetorical duality of bourgeois life and its underbelly. Duality is a frequent motif in Altuzarra’s work due to his French and Chinese-American heritage, not fitting into either culture entirely. The show’s mood focused on sensuality and strength, with an element of suspense and dread.