Actresses and pop stars are usually found on the cover of beauty magazines, but one avant-garde publication is unveiling a different kind of star for its latest issue: Andy Warhol.
Bi-annual magazine Beauty Papers features unseen photographs of Warhol in its “Trip”-themed cover and throughout its next issue, on stands on Oct. 11. Shot by former assistant Ronnie Cutrone during his time at Warhol’s Factory from 1972 to 1980, the photographs show Warhol putting on and removing drag makeup in a minimalist setting much like the artist’s famous self-portrait Polaroids.
The publication has teamed up with Iconic Images Gallery to unveil the images during the Frieze London from Oct. 11 to 15. Warhol is one of 16 cover subjects Beauty Papers is showcasing for fall, which also include covers photographed by Paolo Roversi and Nigel Shafran.
“For us, beauty, art and culture is the manifesto and it defines Beauty Papers,” said Maxine Leonard, co-founder and editor-in-chief.
Beauty Papers was launched by Leonard, a makeup artist, and Valerie Wickes in 2015 out of a mutual frustration that most beauty editorials found in magazines were homogenous. Rather than focusing on commercial topics like treating wrinkles or lengthening lashes, they have been intent on intellectualising beauty and showcasing artistry. (The magazine does not feature any advertising in its issues, but Leonard and Wickes operate a creative agency, Beauty Papers Creates Consults, that designs campaigns for brands like Byredo, Nars, Mac Cosmetics and Jo Malone.)
In every issue, the founders collaborate with makeup artists like Peter Philips and Lucy Bridge and fine artists like painter Maggie Hambling. Mainstream celebrities have turned to the publication for art-world credibility as well: Harry Styles, shot by Danish photographer Casper Sejersen, appeared on Beauty Papers 2020 cover wearing fishnets.
“The approach is freedom and not to solve marketing problems or beauty problems in terms of, ‘You’ve got bad skin or a bad eyebrow,’” said Wickes.
While fashion has long been known for its art collaborations, beauty lines such as La Prairie, Chanel and Dr. Barbara Sturm have increasingly sponsored pop-ups, commissioned artworks and hosted events for VIP clients at Art Basel and Frieze in recent years. For the upcoming edition of Frieze London, Dr. Barbara Sturm will have a lounge on-site with a VR experience, selfie mirror and 3D face scanning skin analysis, an activation the brand also held last spring at Frieze Los Angeles. For its part, the magazine released the book, “Harley Weir: Beauty Papers” during Frieze last year.
“Brands benefit from being creative. We see this more and more in terms of what consumers want. They want to be inspired; they don’t necessarily want a formula,” said Wickes.
