The gold standard
In the latest Bond flick, a brooding, delightfully-muscled Daniel Craig discovers British embassy agent, and his one-night stand, Strawberry Fields, sprawled on the bed, dead, and covered in slick, black oil — an homage to Goldfinger, starring the effortlessly suave Sean Connery, who also discovers his lover dead in bed, immortalized in gold.
It’s that singular cinematic moment that’s been ingrained in the minds of Bond fans over the years.
For Peter Philips, Chanel Makeup’s new global creative director, it’s the less flashy and certainly less deadly metal that fired up his imagination. The visual artist, who studied graphic arts in his native Belgium, sought to immortalize the dazzling, glittering surfaces of 31 Rue Cambon, the location of Coco Chanel’s immaculately maintained, untouched apartment in Paris.
“Gold diffuses its sunny radiance in each room of Mademoiselle’s apartment. The absolute talisman of Coco is found shimmering in the satin, lace and lamé, golden buttons, handbag chains and gold-woven belts,” notes Philips. “Along with the lacquered black, this precious metal is the inspiration of the Chanel Makeup cases. Specific to the brand, the color used for powder cases and lipstick tubes is not flashy or ostentatious, but rather a slightly vintage, honeyed gold.”
The highlights of the autumn 2008 collection are two products specifically developed with Chanel’s signature aurum hue in mind.
The Facettes D’Or Joues Contraste Gold Fever, a gold powder encased in Chanel’s luxurious black compact, works as an illuminator. Philips recommends brushing on some of the powder in places where the light normally hits the face. “A few subtle sweeps over the curved areas of the face, such as the cheekbones, forehead and brow bones,” are ideal, he advises. For evening, dust some of the flaxen powder over the décolleté or shoulders. “It is a highly pigmented gold that becomes one with your complexion to provide a sunny glow.”
Gilded nails — a nod to Goldfinger maybe? — make an unforgettable impression with Facettes D’Or Le Vernis Gold Fiction. Renowned for their deluxe nail varnishes, Chanel’s latest tawny tint is the recessionista’s answer to economizing. Invest in gold for your nails so you won’t have to wear it on your wrist or fingers.
Perhaps the best way to look rich during these troubled financial times without breaking the bank is to dust yourself in some gold that doesn’t have the words 24k before it.
