november-2011

STYLE FILE
New York
With a client list that includes Brooke
Shields, Susan Sarandon, Sienna Miller
and Alicia Silverstone, American make-up
artist Bobbi Brown is now a celebrity in
her own right, attending Barack Obama’s
inauguration party to tend to the vice
president’s wife. As her cosmetics label
celebrates its 20th anniversary, she shares
some secrets from her address book –
and her make-up bag…
What items from your first collection
are still popular today?
In 1990 I met a chemist and told him my
idea to create a lipstick that didn’t smell,
was dense and creamy, not dry or greasy,
50JetAway
and looked like lips – only better. This
colour became my Brown #4 Lip Color.
I realised that not everybody loved neutrals,
so I thought about ten different women
I knew and what colours would look good
on them. My vision was a collection that
included all tones and could be blended to
create any colour-correct lip shade. That
same year I launched those ten shades in
Bergdorf Goodman.
What are your favourite pieces in this
season’s collection?
My three favourite pieces from the Holiday
and Party collections this season are Party
Shimmer Brick, the new Party Fragrance,
and Lip Color in Party Alice (which was
inspired by my Aunt Alice).
Name a special place in New York to
celebrate your anniversary?
Freemans (191 Christie Street, +1 212
420 0012) [1] is a cosy restaurant right off
the Bowery – a little bit off the beaten
path – but it serves the best Bloody Marys.
A perfect place for an evening with friends.
What unusual shops can you recommend?
One of my favourite hidden gems in
downtown New York is Chinatown’s Pearl
River Mart (477 Broadway). It sells an
eclectic array of items, from teapots to
WORDS ROBINA DAM PHOTOS GETTY, ALAMY