There are makeup artists–and there is François Nars. Without a doubt one of the industry’s most private (by choice) and fascinating beguilers of beauty, Nars solidified his name in the eighties as the go-to guy for editorials, working with all the supermodels known simply by their first names. Fast forward to February 2009, when he made a roaring return to the spotlight by creating over 60 custom looks for Marc Jacobs’ Fall 2009 runway show. Two years later, he’s leaving a lasting imprint once again–this time opening his very first store at 413 Bleecker Street in Manhattan’s leafy West Village. The 600-square-foot beauty was designed by his friend and image collaborator Fabien Baron and stocks all your must-haves: Orgasm blush, myriad Multiples, and a bevy of lipsticks and lip pencils.
What I’m most excited about are the two products exclusive to his store: a $25 rosy brown Pure Matte lipstick called 413 Bleecker (after his store address) and a $125 limited-edition version of a best-selling Bento Box set with a larger hand-crafted wooden box that boasts three extra compartments and highly pigmented lipstick hand-poured into two Kabuki cups. Only 100 sets will be made, each packaged in a handmade box with a lip brush.
