The mother of makeup: Pat McGrath

Named one of the most influential makeup artists of all time by Vogue magazine, featured in Times' 2019 list of 100 most influential people, and the first make-up artist to be made a Dame, Pat McGrath has earned global admiration as the ‘mother of makeup’.

Born in Northampton, 1971, McGrath credits her mother Jean as her first influence in makeup. A first generation immigrant from Jamaica, Pat watched her mother mix her own makeup shades, as 'there wasn't anything out there for black skin'.

Despite her conservative, religious upbringing, Pat followed the trends of the Blitz Kids, an 80s New Romantic group known for theatrical, androgynous looks of flamboyant experimentation. This influence can be traced throughout her work, from her glittering eyes of John Galliano Fall 2008 to the neon abstractions of Maison Margiela Fall/Winter 2016 runway.

After completing an art foundation course at Northampton college, McGrath caught her big break when Soul II Soul's Caron Wheeler invited her to join their tour across Japan. Through this opportunity she met Edward Enninful, then Fashion Director of i-D Magazine, landing her the role of Beauty Director at the same publication. Their collaborations bloomed into a life-long friendship, with mutual success that invigorated diversity and creative innovation within the industry.

Since then, her career has only risen, collaborating with fashion house giants from Armani to Miu Miu and, like her golden eyes at Valentino’s spring/summer 2019 show, McGrath’s influence continues to shine. McGrath created the ‘glass skin’ porcelain doll looks for Margiela’s Spring/Summer 2024 couture, earning her viral fame on social media. This year, she was announced as the Creative Director of cosmetics for Louis Vuitton’s collection, La Beauté. This recent collaboration champions McGrath’s own cosmetics company, Pat McGrath Labs. Despite valuing at over a billion dollars in 2018, the brand's original ethos of exclusive, professional-grade products became lost in the demands of everyday consumers, leading to bad reviews and mis-matched collaborations with Supreme and Star Wars.

Despite the ‘rise and fall’ of her business, McGrath’s ability to extend high fashion into makeup looks continues to establish her as an icon of Haute Couture. Her unceasing commitment to new and intriguing looks undisputedly earns her the title of ‘Mother’. As Marc Jacobs commented to Allure, "We've all called her Mother for so long, I can't even remember when that started."