Pat McGrath: One of Fashion's Most Creative Visionaries
With over 2.5 million followers—and counting—on Instagram, Pat McGrath continues to rule the world of beauty in fashion. McGrath's work is most notably seen on the runway for some of the biggest names in fashion. Not to mention, her eponymous cosmetic line, Pat McGrath Labs, triumphantly surpassed the worth of Kylie Jenner’s flourishing cosmetics line, Kylie Cosmetics, valuing it over $1 billion. McGrath is often up in the air, jet-setting from one show to the next. Currently, McGrath is working in France for Paris Fashion Week, blessing the runway of Maison Margiela and Paco Rabanne.
Born in 1970, Pat McGrath was raised in Northampton, England by her mother Jean. Despite coming from a religious and somewhat conservative upbringing, McGrath was never one to shy away from the wonderful world of makeup and fashion. Having no formal training, McGrath’s career skyrocketed after a chance encounter with British stylist, Kim Bowen. Upon meeting Bowen, McGrath soon found herself on a plane to Japan for her first big-time makeup gig. During that time she toured with the band Soul II Soul, doing makeup for the band’s lead Caron Wheeler. Since then, she has quickly become one of the most renowned and influential makeup artists in the world. Her work ranges from editorial shoots to precisely curated looks that can be seen floating down the runway at any number of fashion shows.
McGrath’s portfolio is nothing short of impressive. She has worked with countless of recognizable names in fashion from the prestigious Vogue to grand fashion houses, such as Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton. In her 25 years in the fashion industry, McGrath has worked on 3,000 runway shows, 120,739 faces and 351 covers, according to Refinery29.
McGrath is consistently praised for her unique and flawless technique, preferring her fingers over makeup brushes. However, it is her creativity that catches everyone’s eye. McGrath never lets the makeup outshine the face and let’s her work speak for itself. Her work continues to be so remarkable in fact, that she develops the looks for nearly 80 major fashion shows a year.
Makeup plays an extremely important role in the world of fashion. A designer’s collaboration with makeup artists dictates how the designs are received and the story behind the clothes. A makeup artist's vision is key to the looks that walk down the runway. For McGrath, this means creating an unforgettable story that not only enhances the designer’s vision but makes it come to life.
One of McGrath’s first ventures into the fashion industry came about in 1999, when she created a line of cosmetics for Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani. During that time, she also crafted looks for Prada and Miu Miu. In the early 2000s she was appointed as global cosmetics Creative Design Director for Procter & Gamble. Since then, McGrath has been a staple in the fashion industry. In an interview with Vogue in 2008, McGrath shared: “I'm influenced a lot by the fabrics I see, the colours that are in the collections and the girl's faces. It's always a challenge but that's the key - to make it different every time."
In late October of 2015, McGrath made her vision come to life and launched her own line, Pat McGrath Labs. Her introductory release came in the form of a limited-edition capsule collection, Gold 001. Her Gold 001 package consisted of a glistening gold eyeshadow pigment, a stainless-steel spatula, a mixing liquid, and an extra container to mix these ingredients into one bold concoction to be used universally all over the face.
In the three years since its launch, Pat McGrath Labs has now expanded into the eyes, lips and face market and you can purchase her products worldwide. McGrath’s artistry speaks volumes through her impeccable skill and her imaginative mind. The fashion industry’s access to McGrath herself opens up infinite possibilities for the evolution of fashion.
