While every decade has had its own take on blue eyeshadow, the cool-toned hue can be traced back to the original Barbie in 1959. Then came Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra and Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe in the 1960s, followed closely by Liza Minnelli and Twiggy's funky '70s reimagining. Grace Jones and Princess Diana were devoted to the shade in the 1980s, and we’re still looking to '90s supermodels for modern cues on the colour today. Now, world-famous luxury fashion house Chanel is dipping its toes in the shade, combining its long-standing roots in denim with its contemporary beauty textures.
"Blue is challenging," says Chanel global make-up creative partner Valentina Li. "When people hear blue make-up, they often think, 'How can I use it? It's difficult. It's unusual.' I like to challenge myself and others, to open people's minds and imaginations."
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For Li, the colour blue is brimming with meaning. It connects to memory and emotion, and its spectrum of tones couldn't be wider.
"My favourite blue is the colour of the Earth when you look at it from outer space," she says. "For someone else, blue might be their favourite pair of jeans. I wanted to challenge the audience to explore the possibilities of blue."
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Chanel's latest collection sees the vast world of denim translated into beauty form. Not only does it tap into the historic legacy of blue eyeshadow—with two curated quads, a light wash and a richer, deeper tone—it also invites you to explore the world of Chanel denim. Picture a '90s supermodel, off-duty in her favourite pair of Chanel jeans. That is the vision Li is trying to convey.
"I remember seeing an image of Kate Moss with blue eyeshadow and brown lips," recalls Li. "It was super chic and full of attitude. I loved that character."
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To balance the blue tones, she designed four lip shades: Three in the brown family, all fairly neutral, and a transforming baby blue shade.
"It applies transparently, without any white cast or heavy blue pigment," she reveals. "Instead, it contains a silvery-blue shimmer that subtly tones down your natural lip colour. So if you’re wearing bold eye make-up, the focus remains on the eyes while the lips bring balance to the look."
You'll also find a similarly deceptive blue highlighter in the collection, which melts seamlessly into the skin despite its subtle cool undertones, alongside eyeliners, a blue mascara and, of course, a matching nail polish.
She says the reason behind her choice of denim is the many possibilities it presents.
"Historically, denim was masculine workwear. At Chanel, we twist it. We mix it with diamonds, pearls, tweed. We style denim in the Chanel way: Effortless but elegant, with attitude but still chic," she says. "I want people to apply that same thinking to their make-up. At Chanel Beauty, we don’t set make-up rules. When you play with this denim collection, do it your way, just like how you wear your denim."
Shop Chanel's Limited-Edition Denim Beauty Collection
Chanel Les 4 Ombres Denim Dream Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Coco Denim Illuminating Powder
Chanel La Crème Main Hand Cream
Chanel Rouge Coco Flash Lipstick
This article was first seen on ELLE UK.