Hermès bolsters lipstick collection

Hermès’ three new limited-edition lipsticks for autumn-winter 2020 come in lacquered packs whose colors are said to echo the works of artists Charles Sheeler, Jean Hélion, John Register and Arduino Cantàfora. Each of the three new lipsticks is a different shade of pink, said to evoke the pinks of French artist Yves Klein. Rose Ombré and Rose Pomette are glossy formulas, while Rose Nuit is matte.

The lipstick tubes are in metal—only the mechanism is made of plastic—and are topped with a curved plaque engraved with the brand’s logo.

This month, Hermès is drawing on its leather-goods expertise with the launch of a range of lipstick cases available in eight colors. Four of the cases are crafted in Evercolor calfskin, the mustard-colored variant comes in Mysore goatskin and the pink case in Epsom calfskin. The case in Rouge H red, a shade created in 1925 initially for leather goods, is made from Madame calfskin and another case is black lizard skin. The sheaths feature a tone-on-tone lining in Chagrin goatskin, a soft and glossy material with a fine, round grain. Often associated with bookbinding, the material allows the lipstick to slide smoothly in and out of the case, explains the brand.

The lipstick cases are also a study in the house’s expertise: they each feature 27 hand-sewn saddle stitches in a vertical line, and the burnished raw edges are first heated then dyed by hand, sanded and dyed again.

Hermès, which first unveiled its refillable lipsticks in March, has now made the 24 shades available in a limited-edition gift box, with each slot featuring the number and name of the shade, as well as its finish—matte or satin. Dubbed the 24-Color Piano Box (in a nod to the brand’s historic 24 rue de Faubourg Saint-Honoré address in Paris), the set is limited to 440 pieces and launches mid-November.