Sex does sell and Isamaya Ffrench’s latest collection is proof

Isamaya Ffrench’s latest collection, LIPS, is not just for beauty enthusiasts but also for those who enjoy a little Freudian twist to vanity.

Within four days of launching her third collection under ISAMAYA Beauty, iconic make-up artist Ismaya Ffrench’s latest lipstick signature, LIPS, is all sold out. And that comes as no surprise considering the brilliant way in which Ffrench chose to celebrate the collection.

The lipsticks were contained in massive phallic-shaped tubes which became an instant eye-catching feature of the packaging. Fashion and beauty brands have been using sexual innuendos for decades but very few have gone all out with phallic references like Isamaya.

Highsnobiety reports that this sensational idea came to the makeup artist in a dream. The penis-shaped tubes weigh about 10 ounces and are made of zamak, a zinc-based alloy which contains elements of aluminium, magnesium and copper. Isamaya is known for challenging beauty norms and has worked on fashion editorials for leading publications featuring music icons like Björk and Rihanna and pop-culture heavyweights like Kendall and Kylie Jenner.

Isamaya Ffrench on LIPS

“They will look just as great on a shelf as your favourite candle, sculpture, travel keepsakes and collectables do. I wish I could screenshot the conversations between myself and the design team. At some point, it became totally normal to discuss the proportions in graphic detail… We were able to have a good laugh along the way,” she told Highsnobiety.

In a press release, Isamaya said that she would always “pursue originality and risk-taking with an authentic and unapologetic approach to beauty and image making.”

The collection hosts two lipsticks – a vibrant red shade called Cardinal and Vanity, a lip balm that appears black in its container but is clear when it goes on the lips.

As one of the world’s leading makeup artists, Isamaya has used her platform to challenge society’s perceptions of beauty with many of her collections raising eyebrows while simultaneously earning plaudits. Earlier, Isamaya had launched a makeup collection that paid homage to the wild, wild west. WILD STAR, ISAMAYA’s sophomore collection contained items where the packaging had heavy horsey imagery (pun intended). Her debut collection after launching her eponymous makeup line, INDUSTRIAL, had its fair share of kink involved.

The bold branding earned her much praise from the industry. In a Vanity Fair interview in June last year, the beauty icon said that she envisioned a series of collections that would be a portal to a whole new world. She went on to say that “everything about this brand should feel like cinema”. Many would agree that she’s already achieved that with three successful collections so far.

Image credits: ISAMAYA