Tom Pecheux Tells Us What to Expect From His First Collection With YSL Beauty

Date April 6, 2018

Tom Pecheux doesn’t pay lip service to anyone—or any brand. The feisty, immensely talented makeup artist is known for his frank and witty quips as well as his creative makeup mastery. Reflecting on his first year as global beauty director at YSL Beauty, Pecheux says the highlight is that he isn’t embroiled in any personality clashes.

“I’m getting along very well with everyone,” he laughs. “I don’t know how long they are going to keep me. I have a big mouth, so maybe they’ll get tired of me quickly!” Not likely. Pecheux’s first collection will appear this fall, but he insists we should temper our expectations, adding that he is only responsible for the colours as the products were in development before he joined the company. He’s proud of the work and says he won’t promote anything that he doesn’t believe in. “I’m over 50 now; I’ve never lied in my life, and I’m not going to start,” he says. “OK, I lie, but not about makeup!”

Still, he knows there’s an immense curiosity about his first YSL makeup collection. “I’m getting the feeling that people are expecting a lot of changes, but there will not be a lot of changes because it’s a fantastic brand,” he says. “The heritage of Mr. Yves Saint Laurent is being respected. It’s about colour, it’s about makeup, it’s about individuality and it’s about freedom. We are not a charity company, so I’m not going to do a trend about no makeup. We are selling makeup!”

Speaking of colour, the brand recently launched Volupté Liquid Colour Balm. The two-in-one balm and lip colour softens with coconut water, pomegranate extract, macadamia and apricot butters and jojoba oil in 16 shades from rose nude to bright coral, fuchsia pink and classic red. There’s also mauve for those “who love a touch of darkness.” It’s that hint of transgressiveness in the brand’s DNA that appeals to Pecheux. “I really like women to be chic and irreverent, because that is who I am.”