Many of us in the beauty business have had more than our fill of celebrity collabs, but the recent partnership between Augustinus Bader and Sofia Coppola is just so perfectly aligned.
The filmmaker is known for her dreamy, soft focus, feminine energy that produces a sort of subtlety exuding both the beauty and the complexity of being a woman. Through her lens, we feel seen, understood, and celebrated.
Both Coppola and Bader have cult-like followings and we’re going to go out on a limb and say if they didn’t already overlap, their synergy is going to be happily embraced with this collab.
DAZED put it best noting that this launch “may sound like the stuff of Coquette girl dreams, but it’s real.”
Featuring three new shades, each Coppola-curated tinted balm retails for $43.00.
According to Bader’s website, they’re formulated to “enhance lips with a sheer wash of color that builds with each application” and feature “natural plumping agents that lock in moisture so lips appear plumper, smoother and more supple.”
Key Ingredients:
Shea Butter
Vitamin E
Candelilla
TFC8® Technology
True to form, the Bader team conducted a 4-week consumer perception study with 50 participants.
Key Findings:
Hydration proven to last 24-hours
Lip plumpness increased by 15%
Lip hydration increased by 15%
91% agree the tint is buildable and long-lasting
98% agree lips feel nourished, replenished and renewed
96% agree lips remain hydrated for hours
92% agree lips look softer, smoother and plumper
The press coverage is indicative of its star power and includes both beauty and entertainment media including Vogue, The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, NYLON, Harper’s BAZAAR, WWD, Global Cosmetics News, Forbes, Highsnobery, DAZED, and BYRDIE.
But the genius of this collaboration is all in the nuances.
The campaign video features hot pink handwritten call outs, polaroid style photography, and an eclectic collage feel that is undeniably Sofia, while continuing to suit the Augustinus Bader aesthetic beautifully.
Supporting visuals are soft, neutral, and lip-focused.
The whole thing exudes quiet luxury.
What’s also compelling is the backstory making the rounds explaining where Coppola pulled inspiration from.
As told to The New York Times, “she was after the look of Tess, the titular character in Roman Polanski’s 1979 film adaptation of the novel “Tess of the d’Urbervilles,” portrayed by Nastassja Kinski [who] was nibbling on strawberries ‘that left her with perfectly berry-stained lips.’”
Artfully disheveled and effortlessly cool in both fashion and film, it makes sense that the Oscar winner opts for a more toned down look in the beauty department and is game to embrace the character that comes with perceived imperfection.
The Bader team explains that rather than a stuffy corporate endeavor, what makes this collaboration so great is the fact that it exists due to a request straight from Coppola. She wanted something very specific for a long time and knew she could trust the brand to bring it to life.
“I always think if I want something that maybe there's probably someone else that wants that too,” Sofia tells Vogue.
We think she’s spot on.
Instead of a flashy influencer event, an intimate New York City gathering took place. Which leads us to our biggest takeaway from this endeavor: authenticity is never to be discounted. Synergy between brand and collaborator alone will do miles of marketing strategy.
All that’s left is to bring that vision to life in a way that maintains its integrity.
PS: upon publishing, all three shades are sold out on the brand's website and Space NK. While other retailers carry the classic balm from Bader, Sofia's shades appear to have only been available on the two. We're unclear as to whether we'll be getting a restock so we can get our hands on these, but fingers crossed.
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