Louis Vuitton bets big on beauty

Louis Vuitton is set to make its long-anticipated foray into luxury beauty with the launch of La Beauté Louis Vuitton under the creative leadership of Dame Pat McGrath this fall, Jing Daily can reveal. McGrath, one of the world’s most influential makeup artists, renowned for her trailblazing work backstage and her brand Pat McGrath Labs, is tasked with defining the category for the French house. “Working backstage for over 20 years at Louis Vuitton fashion shows, I am thrilled to now play such a key role in the launch of La Beauté Louis Vuitton, which is the result of extraordinary craftsmanship, creativity, and innovation,” McGrath says in the announcement press release. Beauty has long been intertwined with Louis Vuitton’s legacy, from custom-designed vanity cases to powder compacts and toiletry kits crafted for luminaries, such as soprano Marthe Chenal and composer Jan Paderewski in the 1920s. Its women’s handbags were originally conceived with daily essentials like cosmetics in mind. “La Beauté Louis Vuitton is a natural business evolution, driven by our meticulous attention to quality, formula, and innovation. Through this new universe, we have the opportunity to further accompany clients in their everyday lives with purpose and pleasure, while continuing to celebrate our creativity and heritage,” says Pietro Beccari, chairman and CEO of Louis Vuitton, in the release. Luxury fashion’s rush into high-end cosmetics Louis Vuitton’s expansion into cosmetics comes as a crescendo of luxury houses diversifies into beauty. Over the past decade, brands such as Prada, Hermès, and Gucci have introduced makeup and skincare lines to expand their presence beyond fashion. In 2024, Miu Miu announced a partnership with L’Oréal to develop its own beauty range, while Celine is set to release its first cosmetics collection in the first part of this year. LVMH has been aggressively investing in its beauty division, appointing Stéphane Rinderknech as CEO of the segment in 2023. The move coincided with the establishment of the LVMH Beauty Research & Innovation Center Asia in Shanghai, an initiative aimed at leveraging local market insights and advanced technology to propel growth in China’s lucrative beauty sector. Louis Vuitton’s premium pricing strategy for beauty Unlike many luxury peers, Louis Vuitton has thus far refrained from launching skincare products or color cosmetics. The brand only re-entered the fragrance market in 2016, after nearly a century-long hiatus, under the direction of in-house perfumer Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud. The maison went on to build a portfolio of 39 fragrances, including high-end niche lines, such as Les Extraits, which retails for up to 4,950 RMB ($690) per 100 ml. The beauty launch aligns with LVMH’s broader premiumization strategy, as high-end fragrance and cosmetics remain a bright spot amid cooling luxury demand. In H1 2024, LVMH’s perfumes and cosmetics division achieved 6% sales growth, outpacing its fashion and leather goods segment for the second consecutive year. Lovers Perfume, introduced as part of Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2025 menswear collection, has already gained traction, with its premium pricing of 2,550 RMB ($356) reinforcing the house’s aura of exclusivity. Can Louis Vuitton’s beauty line replicate its leather category’s success in China? With the success of its fragrance line and Pat McGrath’s solid reputation in cosmetics, La Beauté Louis Vuitton appears well-positioned to capture market share globally and in China. A strong marketing push and strategic celebrity and influencer partnerships will likely accelerate its traction. New entrants like Prada and Hermès have performed well, signalling that arriving late isn’t necessarily a disadvantage — so long as the products are distinctive, have strong selling points, and stand out in an increasingly crowded market. Effectiveness will also be key. With McGrath leading the creative direction, Louis Vuitton is expected to first enter color cosmetics, potentially expanding into skincare later. Luxury brands have seen mixed success in beauty, with Valentino carving out a niche through bold colours and collectible packaging, while YSL has built a strong reputation in China for its foundations and lipsticks. Chanel and Dior’s sophisticated packaging often trends on Chinese social media, underscoring the importance of leveraging key festivals with timely, locally relevant offerings. Ultimately, Chinese beauty consumers — known for their early adoption of luxury beauty — will be quick to assess whether Louis Vuitton’s products live up to their promises in both quality and efficacy. To maintain exclusivity the brand may adopt a similar strategy to Hermès: to rely on direct distribution rather than department store counters. With details on the product lineup yet to be revealed, all eyes are now on how La Beauté Louis Vuitton will carve out its niche in the ever-expanding luxury beauty landscape.

Louis Vuitton bets big on beauty

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Published March 05, 2025

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Louis Vuitton bets big on beauty