Rouge Nation

Jokes aside, Singaporeans aren’t the only ones who have an affinity for the colour red. Long before the 18 century Scottish poet Robert Burns penned the words, “O, my love’s like a red, red rose” as a testament to romantic ardour, red – the colour of blood, the colour of fire – has been associated with life, good luck, joy, celebration, and passion in all its forms.

It’s no accident that red was also the colour of the first cosmetics – Ancient Egyptians anointed their lips with red ochre, while women in Ancient China painted their pouts with red as well. Amongst other things, red was a symbol of beauty, desirability, and power. Though many things change with time, these traditions and associations have not faded away; a tube of rouge for the lips is as essential to the modern girl as it was to a court lady of the Tang Dynasty.

For their Fall 2016 makeup collection, Chanel is turning to this eternal colour once again. Notably, it’s Italian makeup maven Lucia Pica’s first collection for the brand since she joined as their Global Creative Makeup and Colour Designer early last year. Known for her love of bold colour and statement lips, it’s entirely fitting that her debut is devoted entirely to the cult of crimson.

“In the collection there are ideas of subversion and classicism. It is about the power of femininity, but also vulnerability,” says Lucia. Those extremes are expressed via a collection that ranges from an eye palette of warm brick tones and burnt, smokey browns to the definitive red for your cheeks. Not forgetting the lips – there are six new shades to play with this season, including a tawny blush, a hot flame-red shade, and a sultry noir cherry. Whether you feel like playing the siren or the ingenue, the lady or the rebel, the one colour you’ll definitely be wearing for this collection is desire.