Industry analysts are reporting cosmetics ranges as boosting the awareness of luxury fashion brands now more than ever, as a mascara or lipstick is often the first item a consumer looking to buy from a top designer can afford.
With this in mind, Gurung has created a premium make up line with MAC, which will be showcased at his spring 2015 collection during the New York Fashion Week next month.
The collection includes eye-shadow duos ($40), lipsticks ($30), bronzing powder ($70), an eye pencil ($20), a chromagraphic pencil ($20), a cream color base ($70) and a square-handled buffer brush ($70) which comes in at the higher end of the price spectrum for MAC, but is reflective of the designer's apparel.
Gurung has plans to move into fragrance based on how successful this line is.
Cosmetic lines helping to build brand loyalty for fashion houses
Fashion houses investing in cosmetic partnerships essentially builds brand loyalty so that when a consumer has the means to afford high-end fashion, they are already familiar with a brand's cosmetic arm.
Many luxury fashion labels choose to partner up with an experienced cosmetic firm to help find a footing in the beauty market.
To date, luxury designers Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch, Michael Kors and Tom Ford have partnered up with the likes of Estée Lauder, L'Oreal and Sephora to create beauty lines in an effort to establish their brand with new consumers.
Estée Lauder boosted by Tom Ford
Estée Lauder recently reported its make-up category raked in $4.2 billion dollars in net sales thanks to a double-digit sales increase from the Tom Ford cosmetics line, in it's fourth quarter financial report.
"In make-up higher sales for the year reflected double-digit growth for our artist brands and a number of new launches, including Pur Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick. In fragrance double digit growth was recorded from luxury brands such as Tom Ford and Jo Malone."
L'Oreal Luxe, which consists of beauty lines from the likes of Giorgio Armani and Yves Saint Laurent, also noted that the first half sales for the year grew 7.4% like-for-like, which was boosted by “Yves Saint Laurent, with its lip make-up”.
The firm also noted that the division “is gaining market shares across all geographic zones, particularly in the New Markets”.