Brand Ethos

I wanted to begin researching the brand ethos, values and main consumer aim. I feel this will give me a broader view of Nars cosmetics company as a whole and allow me to really understand the brand to enable me to create looks for 'future add campaigns'.

Mission statement- 

''At the heart of NARS Cosmetics is François Nars’ mission to empower women to experiment and have fun with makeup by teaching them how to enhance their natural beauty and individual characteristics. The philosophy is iconoclastic: François believes there are no rules when it comes to beauty.

NARS has the ability to be many things to many people: a stylish accessory, a guilty pleasure, or a makeup wardrobe staple, but it’s a certain allure imparted by François Nars that makes NARS a state of mind and a lifestyle brand for the future.''

Facebook, (2015). NARS Cosmetics. [online] Available at: https://www.facebook.com/narscosmetics/info?tab=page_info [Accessed 23 Jan. 2015].

From the text quotes below by Nars i have pulled key words i feel match to the brand. This instantly gives me a visual of the brand. 

Colour, Play, Balance, Sexy, Every Women, Film Inspired, Empowering, Rule breaking.

''It was important to me that the Nars line was balanced between very neutral and basic shades and brighter, bolder colours. I want to offer women a choice. There are ways of wearing bright shades in a subtle way. You can use black or brown to tone down brights, or use pastels such as pale corals, apricot, lavenders that look great with a brown eye shadow. You get a touch of colour without it being overwhelming. With bolder colour, you can use a strong black liner. It’s all a question of balance, though – if you use bold colour on one area of the face, you simplify or tone down the rest. It’s not a whole look – few people can get away with that. But any woman can wear colour without looking as though, as we say in France, she fell over in a makeup box.''

This is the main definition of NARS 'colour' they encourage the use and playful nature of using colour within makeup and yes even within an everyday look. You only have to look at there advertisement campaigns to instantly realise what a knack NARS has to mix, contrast and compliment the colours in both the makeup and composition in a way that the every day woman can relate to and aspire to be like.

S/S 2012 Campaign

''Sexy is very important in our brand. Because makeup is a sexy thing, like beautiful jewellery, great shoes, a sexy bag. But, ideally for us, not in an obvious way. I don’t want it to be cheap or vulgar because I think there are many ways to be sexy. A woman in a man’s suit can be extremely sexy, like Charlotte Rampling in our Audacious lipstick campaign. I don’t associate sexy with vulgarity. This shot is obviously very inspired by the work of Helmut Newton – super-sexy makeup with thick, heavy bangs and so on. Very 1970s French Vogue.''

These quotes are interesting to me they show a whole rounded view of the brand right from the aim of the brand how they want women to feel sexy in  an empowering way down to the exploration of colour used within there products. There explanation of 'sexy' i think shows a lot about where the brand see's its self in the cosmetic market there not 'cheap or vulgar' but are able to represent women in a very to me feminist view of sexy ' a woman in a mans suit' as a brand there encouraging woman to experiment and be strong and confident with makeup intern creating beautiful 'sexy' but strong women, i key element within all there advertisement campaigns i can say is portrayed a strong and in there own way sexy women. 

Holiday 2010.

''I think the movies are probably my biggest influence. Movies and places – so many shade names have been influenced by my travelling and by movies because I’m such a film freak. Movies and actors I love have featured many times in Nars collections and imagery, so many of my lipsticks have been named after movies. Garbo and Dietrich, those were the two women that I was always fascinated to look at because the movies at the time were like a total fantasy – the lighting, the clothing, the makeup, it was like a surreal universe and really built up my love for photography, for lighting.''

Spring 2010, Amber Valletta as Catherine Deneuve,

References: 
Hughes, S. (2014). François Nars: 'There are many ways to be sexy'. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2014/nov/13/francois-nars-makeup-artist-sexy-models [Accessed 25 Jan. 2015].
Facebook, (2015). NARS Cosmetics. [online] Available at: https://www.facebook.com/narscosmetics/info?tab=page_info [Accessed 23 Jan. 2015].

Images:
Hughes, S. (2014). François Nars: 'There are many ways to be sexy'. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2014/nov/13/francois-nars-makeup-artist-sexy-models [Accessed 25 Jan. 2015].