Tom Ford Beauty unveils Runway Lip Color, its new lipstick collection starring Angelina Jolie. The launch represents a key milestone for the brand as it seeks to revive its make-up category, sales of which underperformed in the last financial year.
Tom Ford Beauty unveiled its Runway Lip Color lipstick line on August 22 , with Angelina Jolie as ambassador. The line will be launched worldwide on September 3…
This collaboration marks a significant moment for the brand. It comes in a delicate economic context, as Tom Ford seeks to regain influence in the particularly competitive luxury cosmetics sector.
A strategic collaboration
Tom Ford’s launch of the Runway Lip Color collection represents an important strategic step for the brand. The new range, which replaces the previous lipstick line launched in 2010 – the acclaimed Private Blend Lip Color Collection – boasts a palette of 18 shades, including 8 new ones, expanding the options available to consumers. Shade 16 Scarlet Rouge is particularly highlighted, symbolizing the collection’s flagship product.
Runway Lip Color features a moisturizing formula enriched with a nourishing complex, designed to deliver intense color and long-lasting hold. This approach aims to meet the demands of luxury cosmetics enthusiasts by combining performance and elegance.
The prices of the products, ranging from $46 (‘41.38) for lip pencils to $62 (‘55.77) for lipsticks, reflect their high-end positioning.
Directed by renowned photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, the digital campaign accompanying this launch takes a cinematic approach to celebrating feminine beauty. A spot is even planned for October. The images capture Angelina Jolie in film-inspired scenes, as she prepares for a role. This visual strategy reflects Tom Ford’s desire to align its brand with the glamorous, modern and above all timeless profile of the Hollywood actress, in order to stand out in a highly competitive market.
The American actress is not only talented (winner of an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a Tony Award) but also acommitted woman. Concerned about the plight of refugees and respect for human rights, she has 20 years’ experience in humanitarian work.
Reviving make-up
A subsidiary of Estée Lauder, acquired for $2.3 billion in 2023, Tom Ford Beauty has recently seen its make-up sales plummet. This downward trend has particularly affected its lipstick range.
Guillaume Jesel, Tom Ford’s Chairman and CEO, remains optimistic about the brand’s future. “ Tom Ford Beauty remains on track to achieve $1 billion in annual net sales in the coming years,” he says. The brand anticipates the launch of Runway Lip Color to generate close to $50 million in retail sales in its first year.
The collaboration with Angelina Jolie, whose international aura and cinematic talent is unquestionable, aims to reconnect the beauty line with its fashion DNA. “ Lipstick is the ultimate fashion accessory and a central element of our brand identity”, adds Guillaume Jesel.
In addition to its foray into the lipstick segment in 2010, Tom Ford Beauty offers a range of skincare and make-up products, while its fragrances are particularly well known. Last year, the brand recruited Hong Kong and Taiwanese actress Shu Qi as its fragrance ambassador. More recently, in May 2024, South Korean actor Hyun Bin was named the new ambassador.
Read also > Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino fragrance invites us to the Italian Riviera
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