Julian Mark Kynaston Interview

How did you get involved with Illamasqua?

I’m the founder of Illamasqua – it’s my creation. I’m a Yorkshire-born, self-taught marketer, with a passion for subcultures, underground scenes and breaking the rules.
Nearly 20 years ago I launched the marketing agency Propaganda; I had an innate belief that there was a better way to create brand growth and loyalty than the traditional formulaic approach. One of Propaganda’s clients was ghd and I was invited to work on their board as Marketing Director. Everyone knows the story of ghd and the phenomenal success it became – it was, and still is, one of the biggest emotional brand builds of modern times. Having explored the emotional connection between hairstyling and self-expression with this brand, and having pushed it just about as far as it could go, make-up became an obvious new frontier for me. I wanted to develop a super-strain of professional make-up that would celebrate individuality, champion self-expression, and deliver a customer experience like no other. I wanted to turn the clinical cosmetics market on its head and rip all the established codes and re-write them. A new, emotional brand in a product-centric, dictatorial market place – that was my vision for Illamasqua.
From a personal perspective, I have a deeply held belief in the fundamental human need, and right, to self-express – the freedom to celebrate life as an individual. An overwhelming sense of acceptance and belonging are two key elements of youth culture too, which goes a long way to explaining my love affair with them. I was at the annual Goth Festival in Whitby when the creative inspiration for Illamasqua first came to me – thousands of people using make-up to define and express their innermost selves, in a way that breaks every boundary of what society deems to be ‘beautiful’. The skin head subculture also has a strong personal resonance too – Illamasqua muse and now BAFTA winning actress Vicky McClure’s portrayal of Lol in the 2006 Shane Meadows film ‘This Is England’ epitomises this; playing a skinhead in the role, Vicky stands for the beliefs of the original skinhead culture and is disgusted by the new wave of racism that is sweeping the country and dividing her gang. There’s a genuine connection between her character in the film and Illamasqua’s values; she stands for the tolerant beliefs of her subculture and embodies its positive aspects.

What do you enjoy most about Illamasqua?

I love the fact that there is no other make-up brand in the market place that comes close to doing what Illamasqua does. The most exciting thing about Illamasqua is that there are no boundaries – it’s our mission to constantly push the outer reaches of creativity, to delight our customers and fans with truly professional make-up pieces that deliver exceptional performance, and to connect with them in a way that has integrity and passion. Our collections, and the creative campaigns that support them, are created to inspire, to turn preconceived norms of what constitutes beauty and art on their head in a way that gives people the permission and freedom to truly be themselves. Illamasqua is unique.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?

It’s difficult to separate where I’d like to be in 5 years’ time from the trajectory that Illamasqua is on. If we were to fast-forward 5 yeras, by that time Illamasqua would be eight years old. I’d like to see a world in 2016 that’s a place where refusing to be everybody has become a global battle cry, with Illamasqua right at the heart of the revolution.

What are your ideas for Illamasqua in the future and how will it develop?
Illamasqua is here to stay and we definitely mean business. As I’m sure you know, we’re about to launch our first ever fragrance this month in a ground-breaking way that no-one else has ever achieved before; powerful imagery, potent and magical ingredients that are daringly provocative, and a revolutionary bottle design that is very Illamasqua. It gives me great pleasure to be able to say that the same intense levels of creativity and daring that gave birth to Illamasqua are the driving forces behind the launch of Freak and the global feedback we’ve already received has been nothing short of phenomenal. The very best ideas and the way in which they turn into new concepts are always a team effort at Illamasqua - Joint MD Joe Corre has a wealth of experience in fragrance in Agent Provocateur (it quickly became one of the most successful fragrance launches of recent times) and our Creative Director Alex Box took the lead in expressing this visually. The world is falling in love with the result.
We will always push the button on new product development, and hard - developing stunning, innovative and sophisticated products that remain true to our professional ethos. You’ll see Illamasqua focus even harder on this in the future, and we’ll almost certainly grow globally too, pioneering a new direction in make-up in those countries that are ready to make the leap from the ordinary to the extraordinary. It’s an incredible future to look forward to.

Jx

Agenda Beauty Interview

1. Why did you decide to make a makeup brand?

Jayne: Working within the industry for many years I have always had a passion for make-up and colour; as a make-up artist I work with make up as an art form for the face: like at artist painting on a live canvas. From all my experience within the industry I never found a range that was adaptable, fun to use, exciting, edgy, attainable that created a consumer lifestyle brand as well as being creative and formulated with up and coming make-up artists in mind so I decided to create my own.  

2. What has been the biggest challenge in making this brand?

Jayne: Over the three years from concept to the launch it has been very important to me to create a brand that is suitable for both female and male skins. The range needed to be product friendly; not tested on animals, hypo-allergenic, noncomedogenic and with paraben free formulas. Eye and Cheek Colours I wanted to be able to be mixed together like an artist’s palette so each colour is especially triple milled to create long lasting extra fine powders just as if they were individual paint pots. agenda beauty had to offer a range of 'artist' products that created many effects, being easy as well as fun to use. This is synonymous in the various product names, colours, quirky products like LipDuet two different colours fused together; one for day one for night! Eye colours that become waterproof with Wet2Dry, Body graffiti that stays with GlitzyFix.

3. What has been the most rewarding thing about creating agenda beauty?

Jayne: Since some people have been able to sneak preview the range before the actual launch in March this year it has been really overwhelming how the range has already created a real interest and excitement within the market place for consumers as well as make-up artists, just as I always intended.  

Laura-jane: I have been working alongside my mother for the last few months. Agenda beauty has always been a huge part of our family throughout the last few years. We have laughed over product names and attended beauty, makeup and fashion shows together. I have loved every part of the journey so far, and to hear the response to agenda beauty has been amazing.  

4. Where do you see agenda beauty in 5 years times? 

Jayne: I am already working on an Agenda Beauty skin care range which will be launched later this year the products will be made from plant extracts, minerals and vitamins precisely formulated to produce optimum results, identifying all gender skin types from oily to even the most sensitive. Early 2013 a body and nail range will be launched. My marketing philosophy is to make agenda beauty a well-known marketing professional and lifestyle brand here in the UK and then we plan to expand the brand and unique concept globally.

Laura-jane: in 5 years time I want to be working alongside makeup artists, and those in the fashion show both here and internationally. I really want to create a partnership with         professionals, and lovers. I intend to provide opportunities at fashion shows with agenda beauty for artists with experience or those individuals who are creating their own photo shoot portfolios.

5. How do you think agenda beauty differs from other makeup brands?

Jayne: agenda beauty offers a new exciting dimension into the beauty consumer market in the form of a fun, innovative, range that has been created by someone that has many years  experience within the beauty professional both here in the UK and Internationally. Colours and formulas have been specially formulated to achieve a fun, dramatic, achievable range for individuals who love make up and colour. Each season new exciting synonymous trend and fashion shades and products will be added, creating a continuing interest at every level of the business from the consumer to the media…....

Laura-jane: it provides high quality products with the emphasis on working together with individuals that want to join us in taking the brand forward. We have created a brand that we know consumers as well as make-up artists will love, and the website will offer the opportunity to create contacts and give feedback and ideas. We cannot wait to hear even more positive feedback, and profiling more artists work on www.agendabeauty.com

Behind The Scenes Write Up

For a photoshoot as a make-up artist you have to be prepared. Make sure you have time to set up before your model gets there. Get everything you will need out of your kit and lay it out neatly on the table. It not only makes things easier for you, it looks professional and leaves a good impression. Remember to ask your model if they are allergic to anything such as latex or particular cleansers, toners of moisterisers.

Once you've done the make-up your job is not finished. Be prepared and ready to jump in the photoshoot if something doesn't look right. If a hairs out of place or the make-up creases the camera will pick it up so be ready to fix it. Keep your brushes and things you may need on you such as lipstick, finishing powder, a pintail comb, eyelash glue.

Keep thinking ahead, things may go wrong and you have to be ready to sort it out. Shadow the photographer and ask for their opinion, another set of eyes may pick up on things you haven't. Ask to see how the model is photographing, there may be a pose that highlights the make-up and you may want more of images like these for your portfolio.

Layout

P1 Cover
P2 Back of Head
P3 Contents
P4 About the issue
P5 Image
P6Julian Mark Kynaston Interview
P7Image with Illamasqua Products
P8 Trend 1 - Pastel and Hypercolour Brows
P9 Image - Pastel Image
P10 Trend 2 - UV Trend
P11 Image - UV
P12 Trend 3 - Heavy Metal Trend
P13 Image - Metal
P14 Interview with Stylist Sophie Hawks and Photographer Jennifer Frazer
P15 Image - Ice Age
P16 Brushes
P17 Brushes continued
P18 Behind The Scenes
P19 Image
P20 Tip 1- Brows
P21 Image - Brows
P22 Tip 2 - Lips
P23 Image - Lips
P24 Agenda Beauty Interview
P25 Image with Adgenda Beauty Products
P26: Must Have Products
P27: Must Have Products
P28 Thankyous
P29 Back of Head
P30 Image

Make-up Trends

After deciding that I wanted to create a make-up magazine I had to decide what to put into it and start researching. I decided to look into make-up trends for Spring/ Summer 2012 as I thought I'd show examples and how you can put your own twist on them.

The first trend I came across was "Heavy Metal". I discovered this on the Vogue website. Many designers are sporting this trend. Such as Fendi, DSquared2, John Galliano, Rodarte, Lanvin, Ashish and Georgio Armani. These are some of the looks

I then decided to design a "Heavy Metal" look to put into the magazine.

The second look I looked at was sugar pastels. I found this trend on WGSN. This is one of their youth trends. I also found the hypercolour brows trend. I really love both these trends and thought I could combine these trends together to add a twist to sugar pastels. I knew straight away that I wanted to do this trend so I started planning facecharts. Once deciding on a look I wanted to create I booked a studio for the 2nd of Feb and asked a photographer and stylist that I had worked with previously.

The next trend I decided to put in the magazine was UV. I thought this would be fun and a great learning experience working with UV paints and lights. I will need to test different make-up products under the UV lights to see how they photograph.

2nd Feb Pastel Shoot

The pastel shoot didn't go as well as I planned. There were a lot of complications. My model's train came in 30 mins late so we started late. The photographer Jennifer Frazer and stylist Sophie Hawks had to leave at 1pm rather than 2pm so my shoot got shortened but I had booked the studio all morning just in case I needed extra time. I loved working with the model Sarah Capon. I found her on model mayhem so she had some experience and was happy to do the shoot without payment as I'm trying to keep costs down. We worked really well together and she really knows how to move in the front of the camera and she was comfortable trying different poses and expressions.

I have worked with the photographer and stylist before and I really enjoyed the experience and I love their work. Unfortunately this shoot didn't go as well as previous shoots. I wasn't to keen on the styling I felt it came across too commercial. I like my shots to be edgy and dramatic and I felt this way very young and looked like it would appear in a different kind of magazine like seventeen magazine or cosmogirl. I want the magazine to be more high end and have a more professional appearance. Although saying this the stylist did go with the colour palette I wanted it was just more cute and young than I expected.

The make-up looked good but could of been improved. The lips were the most difficult part and this was the part that needs to be improved upon. The colour just wasn't right, it just wasn't pale enough and didn't look pastel enough, but this can be edited on photoshop. I knew I had to work on my lip liner so I'd practiced before the shoot and I think it showed in the final images that I had been putting the work in.

I'm still unsure if I'm going to use the images, as they can be cropped so I may be able to cut out a lot of the styling and really zoom in on the make-up. If this works and I'm happy with the overall image then i may use them but I'm going to practice some other styles to show the pastel trend and these ideas may work better in the magazine.

After editing the photos I have decided to re-shoot. I loved the overall look with a few exceptions but I want to carry on with the idea and take it further. I want to put pastels through the hair i'm going to practise with aquacolours and with coloured hair sprays to she what works best, if neither work maybe using coloured fabric or ribbon through the hair and see how this looks. My model is happy to re-shoot the image, I decided to carry on using Sarah. She's a great model, she has experience and knows how to move in front of the camera and she has a great look, and the contrast with her dark hair and the pastels and her pale skin worked great.