Monogram Rouge returns for the holidays.
It looks like even the lipstick is getting dressed for the holidays at Louis Vuitton. Monogram Rouge, the deep, burnished red created by Dame Pat McGrath, returns in a limited-edition collection of burgundy cases and coordinating accessories for those who like their makeup and leather goods to match. With a new matte finish joining the lineup, there’s yet another reason to revisit the shade or introduce someone on your gift list to it.
There’s an added pleasure in a lipstick you want to be seen taking out of your bag. The case becomes part of the attraction: an accessory worth collecting, displaying on a dressing table, and showing off with every touch-up. For La Beauté Louis Vuitton’s holiday collection, that has translated to lacquered aluminum in the same burgundy as the makeup, with hand-painted Monogram flowers decorating the rings. With refillable cases, the pieces are made to stay in your makeup bag long after the holidays.
The color itself borrows the rich brown tones of Louis Vuitton’s Monogram canvas, bringing depth to the familiar red lip. Its number, 896, nods to 1896, the year the canvas was introduced, making the shade a small piece of house history. In its original satin finish, Monogram Rouge has the richness you might want for an evening out, with enough brown in the mix to distinguish it from a classic bright red.
McGrath’s new matte version gives that same color a velvety finish, with a softer, diffused appearance. It’s a welcome addition for those particular about texture, which, when it comes to lipstick, tends to be most of us. Those who prefer less coverage can reach for LV Baume in Monogram Touch, a translucent burgundy brown wash that offers a more understated option. The recently launched LV Crayon in Monogram Rouge accompanies the lip products. Finally to round out the new offerings, the LV Ombres palette pairs three browns with a satin red powder, perfect for keeping things simple or going bolder with a touch of rouge.
For holiday gifting, the three finishes leave room for individual preferences within a matching set: satin for your mother, matte for your best friend, or a sheer balm for someone just getting into makeup. Any would make a particularly generous stocking filler, especially with a coordinating accessory alongside it. Choosing which to give away might actually be the difficult part.
