Christian Louboutin Lipstick Launch - Fall Beauty Trends

When Christian Louboutin ventured into beauty, we weren’t shocked to see stiletto-like spikes atop bottles of shiny lacquer—the pièce de résistance being a blood-red polish the color of his legendary soles. Adding to the famed designer’s lineup of polishes—his Scarabée collection was one of our must-buy beauty picks for fall—are lipsticks intended to make a statement. “When a woman carries a handbag, we look at her shoulders. When she slips on a pair of heels, we observe her walk. If she applies lacquer to her nails, we admire her hands,” said Louboutin, in a release from the company. Amazing is an understatement: Resembling a delicate vial Queen Nefertiti might have treasured, this tube-meets-objet d’art takes inspiration from Babylonian antiquities with a turret-like crown cap and pointed gold base. Christian Louboutin Lip Colour, $90 each; available in September at christianlouboutin.com Psst…did you hear?

Transgender Models Strike A Pose In New Barneys Ads, Catalogs: PHOTOSNewNowNext by Eric Shorey 1/30/2014 Valentijn (on left) wears Giorgio Armani. Ryley (center) wears Armani Collezioni. Barneys has taken a progressive step forward with its new ad campaign and catalogs: Shot by legendary photographer Bruce Weber, “Brothers, Sisters, Sons & Daughters“ features some 17 trans men and women sporting high-end fashion available at the luxe retailer “I was exquisitely aware that in the last decade, the [lesbian, gay and bi] communities have made extraordinary advances, and the transgender community has not shared in that progress,” Barneys marketing exec Dennis Freedman, formerly the creative director of W magazine, told the New York Times. The models are depicted interacting with family members and loved ones (while still looking devastatingly gorgeous) and their personal stories are being shared on a Barney’s mini-site, The Window. One of the participants, Valentijn de Hingh, was impressed Barneys looked beyond the bottom line: h/t: New York Times @eric_shorey

af457523adf939c2932b89d558b6a722 59b59649e0b5b9fd1d7c4958754fc9a0 China Slowdown Reveals Luxury’s Online Shortcomings, Study Says | News & Analysis BEIJING, China — Last month’s yuan devaluation dealt a blow to luxury-goods makers, and those that fail to become more Web- savvy risk further damage to their business, according to a report published Thursday. From e-mails to e-commerce, expensive brands generally fall short of customer expectations online, said Isabelle Harvie- Watt, head of Luxhub, the fashion unit of advertising company Havas SA that produced the report on how the wealthy shop. With the Web playing a part in more than 40 percent of purchases, deficiencies there equate to missed sales, she said. Before China devalued the yuan on Aug. 11, that didn’t really matter. “They’re going to be forced to look inwards at how they’re running their companies,” she said by phone. Areas where brands can improve range from installing Wi-Fi connectivity in stores to offering customers a more personalized experience, she said. By Andrew Roberts; editors: Matthew Boyle, Paul Jarvis.