Throughout fashion history, a handful of beauty looks have been so visually rich and gorgeous they can make you weep. Many of them have been created by Pat McGrath. Of course, there was the transcendent, famous Margiela SS24 make-up which turned models into glossed bohemian dolls. But think also of the Parisian romance of the John Galliano AW07 show looks or the frostbitten iced maidens of the designer’s AW09 collection. 

But while make-up might live forever in our memories, it is, ultimately, ephemeral. At the end of the day, it all gets wiped away – that’s the beauty and the tragedy of a great make-up look. So now McGrath is trying her hand at something more permanent: jewellery. Teaming up with Pandora, who has also worked with the likes of Pamela Anderson, the make-up artist today launches a 17-piece collection that includes lip-shaped signet rings and crystal-embellished paint tube and lipstick dangle charms in her favourite shades of red, purple and gold. 

The collection takes McGrath’s beauty philosophy and translates it into jewellery, bringing the foundations that have always underpinned her make-up looks – the colour and texture, the transformative power and self-expression, the craftsmanship – into wearable pieces. “With make-up you transform your mood, your day, your imagination, but it is wonderful that when you make jewellery, it’s permanent, it lasts a lifetime,” McGrath tells Dazed. “I loved turning them into objects that can be worn and collected, and eventually passed on.” We spoke to the make-up artist about the new collaboration, why she’s so excited about the return to fun beauty and her advice for people aspiring to be in the industry.

Congratulations on the collection! Why was this collaboration with Pandora something you wanted to do?

Pat McGrath: Oh my goodness! I mean, I’ve always loved jewellery. I think it’s so close to make-up – the way that we adorn the face with our beautiful crystals, paints, paper – so jewellery has always been something that I’ve been so passionate about. For me, self-expression is the most powerful form of creativity, and colour has been my language throughout my career. Pandora and I shared the belief in transformation, joy and fearlessness. Whether it’s a bold lip or a charm layered into a bracelet, these are the details that allow us to express ourselves without saying a word. 

This collaboration allowed me to explore a new medium, working with the two genius designers together and creating – literally from sketches on paper, from swatches and colours – pieces that you can use to tell your own stories. It’s been so wonderful to be able to make really beautiful three-dimensional pieces that you can wear and enjoy.

What was the process for creating the jewellery? How was it different from how you would go about creating a make-up look or a make-up range?

Pat McGrath: You know, it’s kind of surprising how similar the creative process was. In beauty, you’re always thinking about colour, texture, light, emotion. You apply all of that to making jewellery. It really had the same kind of approach. We obsessed over the precise tone of the enamels, the colour, the saturation, the way the light catches the stones, just as I would with pigment on the face. 

How did you translate the ethos that you have in your beauty work into the jewellery?

Pat McGrath: It was never about turning beauty products into jewellery. I wanted to capture the emotion of beauty, the transformative power of colour in a way, and also just the idea of being able to wear a beautiful paint tube or a lipstick. When we say the transformative power of colour – a single shade can communicate whether you want to be confident, glamorous, passionate, or individual. I think this is the foundation of the collection. It’s important that each piece feels personal, and it’s also jewellery for the beauty-obsessed. It’s jewellery and beauty mixed together, and everything that we’ve ever wanted to own.

Yeah, the little lipstick charms are my favourite! What is your own personal relationship with jewellery? 

Pat McGrath: I’ve always loved jewellery, and I have jewellery that I’ve worn for 20 years. My bracelets are part of me and part of my story, and I really miss them if I don’t have them on. I really do live every day with them. I started to collect little bits of jewellery for myself; every few years I would buy a little something. I think this jewellery is nearly 20 years old, but every piece holds a different memory, and over time, it becomes part of your story.

I feel that way about my rings; I don’t feel quite myself unless I’m wearing them. Are there any particular pieces that have a strong memory or a story for you?

Pat McGrath: For me, it’s my bracelets. I just love them, and each one has a little moment that you remember, and people always ask you about them, and you say, ‘Oh, this happened, and I remember going to this little store, or I remember sitting with the lady that owns the jewellery and choosing everything; it was so cute and really great’. I think you have memories for your rings as well, right? 

Yeah, definitely. I know who gave me each one or where I bought them. When it comes to make-up, you’ve always been known for your colour. We’ve been seeing colour and playfulness come back into beauty trends recently. How do you feel about that?

Pat McGrath: It’s great to see that come back. I’ve always said that colour shouldn’t have rules, and it excites me to see people use it instinctively, use make-up instinctively, and for whatever character you want to be, whatever way you want to be seen. Colours should not be prescriptive. I love a strong red – what that means to you and how many different ways you can wear it. Some people will wear it as a real, defined graphic lip, and then some people will blur the lips. The smallest touch of colour can transform the energy of your look, right? And shift your moods, and the more experimentation, the better. I love it. 

Is there anything else you’re really excited by in beauty culture right now?

Pat McGrath: I love seeing that everybody’s brave and everybody loves to experiment, and I love that everyone’s really into working out what’s next, what’s happening. It’s wonderful that everyone wants to know, ‘Oh, this new trend is happening’. So I love it. I love it. I love that people are obsessed with beauty.

It feels like such an exciting moment right now. Beauty has a lot of energy; it’s very vibrant and fun.

Pat McGrath: Absolutely, I love it. It does remind me of the early 90s, and it reminds me of club culture in the 80s. We were always doing skinny eyebrows, and we were doing dark lips and chocolate liners and all of that, and it’s so funny to see it come back as new. It’s just great to see history repeating itself.

You’ve done and achieved so many amazing things over your career. Are there any dream projects that you would still love to do that you haven’t had a chance to yet?

Pat McGrath: You know what? I never put limits on creativity. The projects that excite me most allow me to explore a new medium, tell a story in a different way. So the collaboration with Pandora is so exciting for this reason. I stepped into a new creative world while staying true to the themes I have always loved: colour, craftsmanship, self-expression. I’m always looking for opportunities to create something unexpected, and I will say this year has been one hell of an unexpected year. It’s been incredible this year, so something that inspires people and to work in new mediums that inspire people to spark all of our imagination.

And you know, there are always new dreams to pursue if you’re curious. But yes, I would have to say there are so many things I’d love to try, and you know, it feels like a lot of it is happening now, so I’m very excited.

Finally, what advice would you give to young aspiring make-up artists?

Pat McGrath: Oh wow! Let's see. My God, what advice? I mean, really, be relentlessly curious and learn your craft, practice, and never stop observing the world. Remember that inspiration comes from everywhere – just a day in your life, fashion, art, music, films, history, nature, faces on the street. I always get so much inspiration from what I see in a flash on the street. Technical still is important, but your perspective and vision is important too, you know. We don’t need another version of someone else. I think it’s really good to experiment. Make mistakes. Stay open. Pay attention to what fascinates you. This is where your own creative language begins.

I always say as well, assist on shows because you learn a lot. You can learn from all the artists around you. Not only learning from [the artist] and the team, but there’s a certain braveness because you just have to keep going, and you learn a lot. I think it’s very important. 

Learning on the job!

Pat McGrath: Yes! The best, the best.