Kate Moss And Debbie Harry Inspired This New Make-Up Collection

As one of the most in-demand photography duos in the world, Mert and Marcus are familiar with what it takes to make a face look good. Demand for their after-dark aesthetic has seen everyone from Kate Moss and Lara Stone to Daria Werbowy and Charlize Theron captured through their glamorous (and frequently raunchy) lens. But for their latest project – a make-up collection for Lancôme – they’ve come out from behind the camera.

Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott put their knowledge of make-up – and the audacious and daring women they shoot – to good use for their first foray into the world of beauty, which includes a selection of base, eye and lip products, and is available to buy now. 

“We wanted the range to represent the women that we photograph,” Alas says over the phone. “She’s much more nocturnal – less pastel colour and a drastic change from Lancôme’s normal cosmetic colour code – but we wanted to take the line much more into our world, our vision and our DNA and inject some excitement into it. Mainly, it was about creating make-up the women we create [through our work] would wear.” They reference Debbie Harry, Kate Moss and a nighttime shoot starring Lara Stone in a strong red lip as inspirations. Plus, of course, some of the memorable late nights they’ve had in the past.

It manifests in a range full of rich, jewel-tones for lips and eyes, and complexion products that help to create skin that demands to be photographed. From the After Dark Eyeshadow Palette, which contains 10 different shades of Studio 54-worthy, shimmering eyeshadow (a Mert and Marcus favourite), to the Flaming Lips Kit, a red lipstick and gloss with lashings of sex appeal, and the more subtle Teint Idole Ultra Duo Stick, a two part highlighter and blur stick, there is something for everyone – particularly those who enjoy an evening out.

“This is make-up for feeling empowered, for someone who isn’t worried about the rules and norms,” says Piggott. “It’s make-up to express yourself. Everything is saturated, extra bold, extra red, so you need to have a certain strength and bravery to wear it. Yes, party time is a good time to wear it, but party time could really be any time.”