Naomi Campbell has long been a muse for makeup artist Pat McGrath, for more than meets the eye: McGrath repeatedly touts Naomi’s “legendary loyalty, unparalleled work ethic, and sublime soul”. The praise is requited, as Campbell describes McGrath as “chosen family”, perhaps an understatement of their dynamic. 

Since the early stages of her career, Campbell (requiring no introduction of her own) has turned to McGrath for the archetypal look, piercing on and off a screen. The two together constitute a creative force to be reckoned with, meticulously documented from shoot to shoot, cover to cover. 

Their current endeavor is no different. McGrath Labs announced the collaboration in a video for the Divine Rose palette, which opens with a Shakespearean refrain: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” 

Certainly, the phrase is meant to allude to the scent of a rose, drawing connotations of florals and a self-described ‘avant-garden’. Yet what’s in a name also seems intentionally evocative, as used to portray two of the most influential names in the industry. McGrath and Campbell have become synonymous with professionalism and prowess, making their pairing altogether more ‘sweet’ in itself.

Rather than resting on some (rather luxurious) laurels, the two continue to produce experimental and innovative materials. The Divine Rose collection is, at once, many things: a “cross-pollination of femininity and masculinity”, “grandiflora glamour”, etc., destined to become an instantaneous cult  classic.

Florals for spring are, in this case, groundbreaking.