Chanel 31 Le Rouge lipstick recalls the mirrored staircase of the fashion house’s rue Cambon address in Paris, with its refillable tube sporting a faceted square surface, created by a Japanese glassmaker for lightweight durability. It is, of course, the work of Sylvie Legastelois, the brand’s head of packaging and design creation since 1984. ‘I have a mission to respect the past,’ Legastelois told Wallpaper’s Mary Cleary upon the lipstick’s launch at the end of 2023, ‘... and, at the same time, to reinvent new codes, to go further the same way Gabrielle [Chanel, the company’s founder] did. So she left us this mission: to balance between the past and future.’
The Chanel 31 Le Rouge lipstick wins a Wallpaper* design award for Best Lip Service
The lipstick bullets, in 12 vibrant shades, are cradled in twist-up recyclable aluminium holders that can be switched in and out of the sculptural casing as desired, while the longwearing formula is enriched with gardenia oil, which ensures lips feel hydrated and enveloped in the texture of satin. The end result is a true reflection of Legastelois’ ongoing commitment to unapologetic luxury: ‘If I believe in something, even if it's not possible to do it now, I continue to work [on it]. I believe when I have an idea and it’s too early, it could one day be the right timing,’ Legastelois said to Cleary. ‘Sometimes, I have to reinvent and just keep thinking of the future. So never giving up is part of my DNA. And even if you fail, continue, because maybe next time will be better.’
The formulation is made from 75 per cent naturally derived ingredients, and micronized pigments mixed with sheer mother-of-pearl, delivering an intense slick of colour to the lips. The spectrum of shades spans from robust burgundy and pink-toned reds to gentle nudes with hues of beige and peach. The glass casing is contained in a quilted leather pouch, to protect the product when being transported in your bag for touch-ups, day or night. With all this, it’s no surprise that 31 Le Rouge received a 2024 Wallpaper* Design Award for Best Lip Service, sealed with a kiss of approval.
A version of this article appears in the February 2024 issue of Wallpaper* – dedicated to the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2024 – available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today.
Chanel 31 Le Rouge lipstick, £140, available at chanel.com.
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