makeup

Byredo Beauty and the Glow of a Single Pixel

Blazer by GCDS. Necklace from Judy Blame Archive.

In 2006, Ben Gorham founded his fragrance empire, Byredo, with a singular goal: to distill the memory of his father into a bottled scent. This fall, the Canadian-Indian perfumer is branching out yet again with a new line of cosmetics that reach far beyond smoky eyes and plumped-up lips. To bring the collection to life, Gorham tapped the makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench to help create vibrant jewel tones and earth hues inspired by everything from a stranger’s hand to the cloudiness of salt water at night.

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Top by Chloé. Collar from V V Rouleaux.

“Makeup is a tool that people use to tell their own stories,” says Ben Gorham, who, before starting Byredo, studied business, got a degree in fine arts, worked in politics, and played professional basketball. “I wanted the approach to color, like our approach to smell, to come from emotion.”

“Our goal is not to tell people how to look,” says Isamaya Ffrench. “It’s to create art. Essentially, makeup is just color. Color that you put on your face.”

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Top by Chloé. Hat from Judy Blame Archive.

Dress by Miu Miu.

This article appears in the September 2020 issue of Interview Magazine. Subscribe here.

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Models: Ruth Aigbe at Models 1 and Raya Martigny at Women 360 Management.

Hair: Shiori Takahashi at Streeters.

Makeup: Isamaya Ffrench.

Casting: The Establishment.

Production: Kit Pak-Poy at Art.

Digital Creative Direction: Studio Till Janz.

3D Designer: Karim Fuad.

Manicure: Lauren Michelle Pires using The Gelbottle Inc at D+V management.

Fashion Assistant: Alicia Rodriguez.

Hair Assistant: Misato.

Makeup Assistants: Jenny Glynn and Porsche Poon.

Lighting Assistant: Okus Milsom.

Post-Production: Hand of God.