A Broadway musical, an unreleased album, a Netflix documentary. Aren't those the kind of posthumous products fans might expect from the Prince estate? However, now comes the announcement of a tie-in with cosmetics brand Urban Decay.
A limited edition "cosmetics capsule" dubbed "Live Loud in Color" will highlight Prince's purple hue, the estate and Urban Decay announced late last week.
The collection and campaign were designed with input from Prince estate creative director Trevor Guy; model/actress Damaris Lewis, a friend of Prince's and a former NPG dancer, and photographer Randee St. Nicholas, who worked with the rock star.
The capsule will be available on May 27, according to a news release.
Urban Decay, a 25-year-old brand now a subsidiary of L'Oreal, is known for its celebrity ambassadors. Previous pitch people have included Nicole Richie, Lizzo and Normani. In January 2021, Monsta X, the K-pop group, was named Urban Decay global ambassadors.
"It's easy to say why this collection makes sense on the surface — his makeup looks and our shared love of purple — but we did our best to reflect his energy on a deeper level," Urban Decay co-founder Wende Zomnir said in a statement. "We found his ethos of not asking permission to be who he was and owning it so boldly aligned with our values of breaking the mold and championing all forms of beauty."
Fan reaction on social media has been mixed.
"The Urban Decay x Prince makeup line is a disgrace to Prince's name and work," tweeted @SagerToothTiger.
@ILoveMJ4AllTime shaded the makeup brand but not the artist: "I don't like Urban Decay and their ashy eyeshadows. But it's PRINCE."
While Prince had a long relationship with makeup and beauty, he didn't have much luck in the beauty business. In 2007, he was involved with a unisex fragrance, 3121, named after his 2006 album. The scent was not one of his successes.
Prince was sued for failure to promote the fragrance as contractually promised, and a New York judge awarded Revelations Perfume & Cosmetics a $3.95 million judgment in 2011. Prince reportedly appealed and settled out of court.
Twitter: @JonBream • 612-673-1719
