Five years on from the launch of Rouge Hermès, the house is celebrating with Rouge Brilliant Silky, a high shine lipstick that comes in 14 glossy shades. For Gregoris Pyrpylis, the Creative Director of the Hermès beauty metier, it's a natural progression; an extension of the existing Hermès ritual (you might remember they launched a series of lip liners last year, Le Trait).
While sheer, easy-to-use makeup with skincare benefits is very of the minute, Rouge Silky isn't reactionary to trends. One thing to know about Hermès beauty is that much of it is written by the archive: matte lipstick inspired by that orange box, textures likened to grainy leather or weightless silk. Even the original Rouge Hermès lipsticks are infused with a customised fragrance, developed by in-house perfumer Christine Nagel.
In anticipation of the March launch, I caught up with Pyrpylis virtually via Paris, where he talked me through his creative process, developing the shade range, and the sense of ease that comes with lipstick you can apply without a mirror. Ever the creative, he also shared his thoughts on colour theory, art, architecture, ephemeral beauty trends and the slow pace at which her prefers working.
Read on for the interview.
So tell me about Rouge Brilliant Silky…
In 2020, Hermès Beauty launched a manifesto: Rouge Hermès, a lipstick with both satin and matte finishes.
One of the main reasons I wanted a continuation of lips at this point in time is because it’s the five year anniversary of Rouge Hermès. I love celebrating everything, and it felt right to mark the occasion. The goal was to create a collection that would be complimentary at times, but also to create a new gesture, a secondary chapter. The Rouge Brilliant Silky Lipstick infers a new colour palette, we’ve only kept a few emblematic shades. There are so many beautiful colours within the Hermès atelier, and because I was working with a new texture — sheer, more transparent — I felt I could take more risks, and create shades that wouldn’t work as well in an opaque formula. There are 14 colours in the range, they’re all very beautiful. It’s a special launch.
How do you approach building the Hermès beauty metier? Are these products planned well in advance, or is it a response to what’s working, or what’s trending within the wider industry?
I'm not a creative director who likes to work on just anything that comes to mind, or in a way that’s reactionary. There is logic behind the way we do things. I like to think about makeup in terms of application, building a routine; I want to give our clients the tools and support they desire to express themselves.
In 2024 we launched Trait d’Hermès, 40 lip and eye pencils, and it was probably the biggest launch of the year. But it was also important that it came 12 months after Le Regard, our eyeshadow palettes, because the pencils are complimentary. The palettes are about choosing colours that speak to your mood or emotions, but the pencils are more of an architectural element. You can use them to define, change contours, they will transform an entire look. You might want to widen your eyes, make them sharper, elongated — it’s the same with the lips.
The way we launch a product within the Hermès Beauty metier is also about building expertise. It is much easier to swipe on lipstick or diffuse a powder eyeshadow than it is to apply an eyeliner. By introducing eye and lip pencils after lipstick and eyeshadow, our clients are able to build on their unique beauty gesture.
Do you take beauty trends into consideration at all when you are designing makeup products?
Hermès is not a trend-based brand. We do seasonal beauty collections, but they are not based on beauty trends, so to speak. I do pay attention to what is of the moment, I want to know about it, but the soul of Hermès Beauty relates back to house history and the archive. I just want our clients to feel they have all that they need, and to have a routine that makes sense to them. It is more about freedom and options.
In the last few years the intensity of how quickly beauty trends come and go has changed dramatically…
It’s true, the pace is fast and sometimes overwhelming because of social media. Before this, ‘trends’ lasted for six months, in tune with the fashion calendar. That’s the way it was when I started working as a makeup artist, anyway.
But I feel it also depends on your position and the way you look at things. In my case, I work for a house with almost 200 years’ worth of history, so I think it makes sense that we don’t base our creations on ephemeral trends. I choose to focus on the timeless elements of beauty, and how we can build our metier for years to come.
And to be honest, even the fashion calendar has changed a lot. It’s all about embracing what works and having a lightheartedness, but ensuring our essence is poured into everything we are doing.
Where does Rouge Silky fit into the Hermès beauty mix — what is the ‘gesture’?
It’s a gesture I’d describe as very comforting, playful and free. Certain shades can be applied without a mirror. It’s very customisable. You can use Rouge Silky alone, with lip liner, or layered with a classic Rouge Hermès satin or matte formula.
What went into creating a shiny, sheer lipstick from a formulation perspective?
Skincare is becoming more and more important, even in makeup. We are a luxury brand, and our clients want performance, a sense of wellbeing within their routine. It’s the first time we have created a formula that’s made with ingredients of 85% natural origin, it is made predominantly of plant oils and butters with ingredients like sesame seed extract, raspberry leaf, abyssinian oil and mulberry tree extract. It is a performance-driven lip product with a skincare element that’s very supple, hydrating, with a melting texture that glides on.
As for the texture, I was focused on finding the same softness and suppleness as Hermès silk. I worked towards the transparency of silk chiffon, the way it intensifies when it’s layered, but feels weightless around your neck. The shine was inspired by our silk miel; in some shades I even enhanced it with small sparkles. A silk scarf tied around your neck illuminates your face. I wanted our Rouge Silky lipsticks to have a similar effect.
Lipstick is about bringing a sense of sophistication, an effortless-ness that’s very unique to the individual.
On the topic, do you believe in colour theory?
I love this question. I do think a lot about colour theory in the context of makeup specifically. For example, Rouge Brilliant Silky has a lot of translucency to it, so it may alter depending on the natural colour of your lips, but the shades will almost always look and feel comfortable. Our matte and satin Rouge Hermès formulas on the other hand will provide more of a contrast as they are opaque. But this is all personal opinion. I don’t believe in restrictions, and if we try to follow too many beauty rules, it’s boring.
I think makeup is about achieving a certain harmony and balance, but also expression. If we are mathematical, it restricts the creative side. The concept of ‘no rules’ is why I fell in love with makeup in the first place.
Outside the Hermès archive, where do you find colour inspiration?
Still on colour theory, I do think a lot about the nuance of tone in our formulas, so that they are flattering on all skin. That comes with the expertise of being a makeup artist, though.
I find inspiration in numerous different fields: sculpture, painting, and nature. I know I’m Greek, but one of the shades of Hermès leather is called ‘Blue Mykonos’, which shows the Hermès colour universe is so broad and far reaching. We have a Rouge Silky colour called Brun Sallier, which is a very deep raw brown with red undertones, inspired by worn leather saddles. We also have a pink, Pink Hacienda, inspired by the Hacienda estates in Latin America, particularly the estate of Casa Barrragan in Mexico City — I love the building, it is incredible. Even Corail Jaipur, a vivid, tangy orange. In French, we say it looks as if it’s full of vitamins, it's very brightening. But it was really inspired by the beauty of the area of Jaipur in India. I am very lucky to have so much inspiration around me.
Finally, what’s next for Hermès?
Our first semester is going to be dedicated to our beautiful Rouge Silky, I’m very excited about that. It’s going to be a big year for the lip category, but I’m taking the time to create slowly. Sorry, that’s very vague but it’s nice to leave some things as a surprise. There’s a lot in the pipeline.
Hermès Rouge Brilliant Silky
Hermès Rouge Brilliant Silky will be available from March online and at Hermès boutiques
