“The Non-Conformist Visionary Shaping the Future of Beauty and Glamour”
Isamaya Ffrench, a true maverick in the world of beauty, has just been heralded as “the future of beauty” by Business of Fashion, securing her place in the prestigious BoF 500 Class of 2023. With an artistic flair that defies conventions, Ffrench is a creative force that leaves us constantly enthralled.
This British makeup virtuoso has garnered adoration from photographers, brands, and a constellation of celebrities, including iconic figures like Madonna, Kate Moss, Rosalìa, Julia Fox, and Iris Law. She’s notably recognized for her audacious phallic-shaped lipsticks, an emblem of her boundary-pushing approach.
The secret to her meteoric rise lies in her rejection of the industry’s conventional ideals of beauty and perfection. Ffrench champions a non-conformist interpretation of “glam,” a contemporary, gender-neutral perspective on beauty. Her vision speaks to those who yearn for more than just traditional allure; she seeks to ignite the spark of edginess and excitement.
For Ffrench, her brand isn’t about merely enhancing appearances on a bad day. It’s a gateway to a grander concept, a broader world, and a more profound idea. She believes that makeup is a canvas for exploring the vast realms of creativity and self-expression, catering to the yearning for authenticity and uninhibited beauty. In her own words, it’s about offering something “honest and uninhibited” to a world eager to break free from conformity.
Isamaya Ffrench: The Artistic Alchemist of Modern Beauty
Born in the picturesque city of Cambridge in 1990, Isamaya’s enchantment with the transformative power of makeup ignited at the tender age of 7. It was a pivotal moment when she unwrapped “The Art of Makeup” by Kevin Aucoin, a veritable bible within the beauty realm. The pages of this sacred tome unveiled a world where makeup held the key to metamorphosing ordinary people and celebrities into extraordinary, mesmerizing versions of themselves. The young Isamaya couldn’t help but be captivated, her curiosity kindled, and her artistic journey set in motion.
Her path through education took her on a fascinating detour, as she delved into 3D design at Chelsea University of Art and later, product design at the prestigious Central St Martins. However, destiny had something more artistic in store for her. In 2010, she found her calling within the enigmatic realm of the Theo Adams Company, an avant-garde artist collective renowned for crafting immersive theatre productions, visionary films, captivating events, evocative photography, and innovative soundscapes. It was here that she realized the potential to translate her passion and skills, honed during her college days of painting children’s faces, into a bona fide vocation.
The turning point arrived with her inaugural foray into body painting for a magazine, an epiphany that marked the fusion of her innate talent with her fervent enthusiasm. In 2017, she ascended to the role of director at Dazed Beauty, propelling her career into a stratosphere of kaleidoscopic projects and groundbreaking collaborations, firmly establishing herself as a luminary in the contemporary beauty landscape.
Over the past decade, Isamaya’s illustrious journey has seen her adorned with titles such as brand ambassador for revered names like YSL Beauty and Christian Louboutin Beauté. She’s lent her creative prowess to Tom Ford Beauty as a consultant and held the position of creative director for both Byredo and Burberry Beauty. Her artistic fingerprints can be found on the runway shows and editorials she’s curated alongside iconic photographers like Mert and Marcus, Tim Walker, and Inez and Vinoodh. Among her many feats, one that stands out prominently is the creation of iconic looks, such as the strikingly thin eyebrows that adorned Rihanna on the cover of British Vogue’s September 2018 issue.
Throughout her remarkable journey, Isamaya has consistently emerged as a beacon of artistic individuality, embracing a distinctive, dark, experimental, and alternative vision of beauty. After years of honing her craft and carving a niche for herself, this exceptionally talented Brit, now serving as a beauty curator for Off-White, took a bold leap in 2022. She unveiled her very own makeup line, simply christened “Isamaya,” an endeavor set to leave an indelible mark on the beauty world she’s come to redefine.
Isamaya Ffrench: The Visionary Makeup Maven Crafting Beauty Beyond Limits
Isamaya Ffrench, a true trailblazer in the realm of makeup artistry, has injected her unparalleled talent and unconventional spirit into the beauty industry with an ever-evolving, kaleidoscopic approach. Her canvas extends beyond the ordinary, with a portfolio that boasts collaborations with renowned brands and A-list celebrities, including the likes of Madonna, Bella Hadid, Cher, Björk, Julia Fox, and the iconic Rihanna.
Who could forget Rihanna’s captivating transformation on the cover of British Vogue in 2018, sporting those Marlene Dietrich-inspired eyebrows—a testament to Ffrench’s ability to etch unforgettable and experimental makeovers into our collective memory? But it’s on the grand stages of fashion weeks that her creativity truly takes flight.
One can’t help but be mesmerized by her recent work at Mowalola’s SS24 show, where models donned puffy and bruised makeup, adorned with scars and bruises, challenging traditional beauty norms with an audacious flair. Or the enigmatic “printed” kiss gracing the concealed visages of Vivienne Westwood’s SS24 runway. These artistic creations are born from her distinctive aesthetic and an unwavering commitment to pushing boundaries.
Drawing from the depths of her creative wellspring, Ffrench has conjured transhuman animal faces for Collina Strada’s FW23, ushered in an era of alien reflections and LED embellishments for Mowalola’s FW23, and dabbled in bioluminescent dye-adorned tongues and meticulously detached eyelashes—a modern spin on Twiggy‘s iconic spider lashes—for Chet Lo’s FW23 collection. Not to be overlooked are the ethereal deer ears of Burberry’s SS22 and the meticulously plastered brows of Junya Watanabe’s FW16, each bearing the unmistakable imprint of Ffrench’s avant-garde vision.
In a world often dominated by conformity, Isamaya Ffrench stands as a beacon of limitless artistic exploration, continually pushing the boundaries of beauty and self-expression. Her work serves as an enduring testament to the transformative power of makeup and the boundless potential of the human canvas.
Isamaya Ffrench’s Isamaya: Unleashing Beauty’s Enigmatic Narratives
The culmination of a remarkable career, in 2022, witnessed the dazzling emergence of Isamaya Ffrench’s cosmetics empire, aptly christened “Isamaya.” Yet, her venture transcends the conventional bounds of a mere makeup artist; it embodies the essence of storytelling. Ffrench is an enchantress of dark fairy tales, conjuring creatures worthy of the Brothers Grimm, summoning glam vampires, weaving BDSM nightmares, exploring fetishes, traversing galaxies with space cowgirls, and venturing into the realm of science fiction. Her makeup creations are akin to anatomically correct lipsticks, where each shade whispers a unique narrative.
Enter her inaugural offering, “Industrial,” a mere prelude to the spellbinding world she had in store. It was followed by a mesmerizing cascade of glitter eyeshadows, designed for the modern, shimmering cowgirls of our time. Then came the metallic pigments, infusing an industrial edge into the world of cosmetics. But it was the release of the legendary “Lips” line that catapulted her brand into the stratosphere, amassing seven-figure sales within its maiden year. Instead of focusing on groundbreaking formulations or exotic colors, Isamaya chose to provoke, quite literally. She encapsulated her lipsticks in chrome shells, playfully shaped like phalluses—a bold, ironic statement that challenges norms and ushers in a new era of dazzling beauty.
Yet, beneath the provocations lies a deeper purpose—one that aligns with the spirit of our times. Isamaya Ffrench seeks to reflect and anticipate the ever-evolving zeitgeist by offering something ineffable yet profoundly personal. In her own words, she articulates this mission in numerous interviews: “I am crafting a new universe for a fresh generation of makeup enthusiasts. I aspire to inspire, to unveil alternative avenues towards beauty. My aim is to emancipate them from the clutches of mainstream ideals and bestow upon them a more authentic, artistic, and visually evocative perspective. I am not here to dictate how one should appear. It’s a transformative journey where individuals must ask themselves, ‘Who am I? What are my inclinations? And how can makeup enhance my essence?’ It’s about harnessing makeup as a means to reconnect with one’s true self, not to masquerade as someone else.”
In the enigmatic realm of Isamaya Ffrench, makeup transcends the mundane; it becomes a medium for self-discovery, an artistic expression of individuality, and an invitation to explore the infinite facets of one’s identity. It’s a testament to her vision, one that liberates, challenges, and redefines our understanding of beauty in the modern age.
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