MERIT and Brandon Maxwell Make Minimalism the Main Event

At NYFW, Spring 2026 shows saw maximalist hair, nails and eyeshadow on full display, but on the other end of the spectrum, there was a pull toward minimal, seemingly effortless glow. No show demonstrated that better than Brandon Maxwell’s.

Key makeup artist Fulvia Farolfi crafted pared-back looks using MERIT products that centred on luminous skin, beginning with the brand’s Great Skin Glow Serum for radiance that looked lit from within.

The backstage lineup also included the Great Skin Moisturizer, The Uniform (coming to Canada soon), The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick, Brow 1980 and Flush Balm in shades “Archival,” “Cheeky,” “Bespoke,” and “Stockholm.” Together, they created the kind of lit-from-within glow that perfectly matched Maxwell’s breezy, romantic collection—proof that sometimes less really is more.

I recently wrote about how lip gloss is vying for the title of beauty’s latest status symbol, but let’s be honest: Bags will always reign supreme. Merit’s corduroy makeup bag, in particular, has already achieved cult-status recognition, becoming as synonymous with the brand as its minimalist complexion sticks.

As Merit CMO Aila Morin explains, “Brandon’s work has been on our moodboards for many years—his effortless, classic design style is a perfect fit for the MERIT client.” Now, in collaboration with Maxwell—and in celebration of his 10th anniversary in fashion—the bag gets a limited-edition, runway-ready update that perfectly merges the designer’s refined sensibility with Merit’s effortless cool.

To mark the occasion, the launch also introduces a new lip product: the Signature Lip Lightweight Lip Blush in the shade “Maxwell.” It’s a mauvy cinnamon-brown in a blurred matte finish, housed in sleek silver casing—a nod to Maxwell’s aesthetic. It’s the first time MERIT has partnered with a designer on a beauty product, making this collab especially noteworthy.

The Signature Lipstick in “Maxwell” is exclusively available on MERIT’s website.