Jacquemus launches into beauty backed by beauty giant l'Oréal

After a shocking rumor, various whispers, and a few weeks of waiting, it's official: Jacquemus no longer belongs entirely to Jacquemus. The cosmetics giant L'Oréal now holds a minority stake in the French fashion house, marking the start of a long and (hopefully) fruitful partnership in the beauty industry. This is a new chapter for Jacquemus, who until now had exclusively shone in ready-to-wear and accessories, although the beauty project had been eagerly anticipated. In 2021, the Spanish perfume house Puig had already acquired a 10% stake in the company with the goal of launching a beauty line, but that project never came to fruition, as Jacquemus bought back that stake the following year. So, if the young designer struggled to give up his independence and hand over a part of his brand, where does this sudden change of heart come from?

Although Porte-Jacquemus has carefully maintained the complete independence of his brand since its inception in 2019, times have changed. “I value my independence, I want to pass this company on to my children, but I need to break through the glass ceiling by finding the right partner”, he had stated in an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro last October. This glass ceiling could very well shatter into a thousand pieces with this French-made alliance. Indeed, it comes at a pivotal moment for the brand, still popular and growing, but potentially vulnerable amid the ruthless international luxury crisis. Last year, in addition to its various and costly projects, the brand had to revise its sales strategy by raising its prices and moving much of its production from France to Italy. Between its partnership with Apple, its return to Paris Fashion Week calendars, and the opening of two stores outside Europe, one in London and the other in New York, the young designer proves he's not afraid of challenges and that his 2025 is shaping up to be an eventful and project-rich year.

After acquiring Mugler, Clarins, and the beauty lines of major houses like YSL, Prada, and Valentino, and given Jacquemus' ambition to expand his horizons, this acquisition by the beauty giant seems logical and is rather good news. While the financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, what we do know is that L'Oréal seems just as excited as the fashion designer about this new partnership. In a statement, Cyril Chapuy, president of L'Oréal Luxe, mentioned that Jacquemus had “exceptional potential in luxury beauty,” highlighting the “unique positioning of the brand,” its creativity, and its social media know-how. So, will we see poppy-colored lipstick, eyeshadow in fifty shades of lavender, or perfume with a subtle scent of lemongrass and rosemary? Stay tuned. This new addition to Jacquemus' knowledge library, which already smells like summer, is certainly very promising.