Francois Nars

My mother hated foundation; she hated having a mask on her face - and she pushed me to build my own vision and concept of beauty for women. ”

I always had a vision about beauty in general, so probably that's what really drove me into that direction of creating a makeup brand. ”

My vision was to create makeup that was more transparent but with formulas that last. I follow my instincts - it's all very spontaneous! ”

It really has stayed practically the same. It wasn't like I used to do wild punk make-up: no, I always had the same vision. ”

I chose makeup over photography because there was something very sensual about makeup that I loved. But photography was always in the back of my mind. That was always something that I was very connected with: looking at magazines, enjoying photography, and then taking pictures myself when I was a kid. ”

Makeup is very important for a show. It's really an accessory on the runway. You have to be sure that it fits the clothes. ”

You create the color first, and then the name that fits. It depends - there are no rules. You watch a fabulous old movie, and you suddenly get inspired by it to create a lipstick shade, or you walk through a gorgeous garden and find the most beautiful flower shade for an eye shadow, and then you name it. ”

I never stop thinking about names of products. It's a process that happens 24 hours a day. ”

Working on fashion shows, you work with the designer and try to read his brain - what was in the creative process, what images did he have in his head? ”

True icons are larger than life, unforgettable with an elegance that's mesmerizingly timeless. ”