YSL Beauté and Cosmetics Creative Partnership
18 MONTHS OF CREATIVE COLLABORATION
MATTE’s collaboration with YSL Beauté began with the question of how to collaborate with talent in a purposeful, integrated manner.
In the 18 months since, we have become the creative strategy partner, providing insight and execution on the US and global beauty positioning at large, breathing fresh energy into an iconic brand with the spirit of couture.
SIX QUARTERS OF STRATEGIC INSIGHT
INNOVATIVE STRATEGY
Crafting innovative strategy is a critical part of MATTE’s scope with YSL Beauté. In November of 2022, our workshop for 2023’s brand positioning resulted in the identification of the 2023 Strategy and Beauty POV.
CHAMPIONING CREATORS
MATTE also led development of a network of creators, an ecosystem of talent across core discipline of music, dance, and gaming. At scalable levels, we developed gifting programs, concierge service, integration in campaign and content strategy, and co-creation opportunities.
CREATING CAMPAIGNS TOGETHER SINCE 2021
BEYOND STRATEGY
MATTE has produced four digital and OOH campaigns for YSL Beauté and led the US MUSE platform since 2021, which has put some of the greatest creative forces of our time in front of and behind the camera.
On each occasion, MATTE has directed the lenses of the US team’s preferred photographers and directors to create inimitable stills and video worthy of the brand.
MUSE CAMPAIGNS
Since 2021, MATTE has collaborated with top talents who channel the spirit of the brand as Muses. Each Muse wears looks created with a full face of YSL Beauty product and head-to-toe Saint Laurent.
PUSH THE BOUNDARIES
In collaboration with Yves Saint Laurent Beauté, MATTE spotlighted dancer, Jaxon Willard, and musician, DJ Kittens, in two new episodes of the brand’s ongoing docuseries entitled Push the Boundaries which explores creative and cultural movements where talented people dare to play with the limits of society.
CREATIVE EMPOWERMENT
“Push The Boundaries has been created to empower & support daring people who are surpassing society’s limits in order to create change. We want to support these daring code-breakers by empowering their creativity, helping them become even more visible and anchoring them in their own culture, so they can continue to influence others among their community.”
–STEPHAN BEZY
International General Manager
Yves Saint Laurent Beauté
OVER A YEAR OF PACKAGING COLLABORATIONS
ICONIC CONCEPTS
Just as YSL pushes into unprecedented positions within the fashion world, MATTE resets standards, creating completely unique, one-of-one packaging designs for YSL Beauté mailers - including lipstick and fragrances - that have become instantly collectible and a part of the brand’s enormous lore.
EXPERIENTIAL
YSL BEAUTY HOLIDAY STAGE
YSL Beauté popped up in SOHO with a multi-faceted event that combined a content lab, a master class, and an all-weekend party that brought out some of the most influential faces in the city. MATTE came through with creative direction, production, experiential build, talent management, guest list, gifting, and ticketing.
MASTER CLASSES
MATTE produced bespoke masterclass programming throughout the weekend. A VIP masterclass held by YSL’s Global Director of Beauty Artistry Tom Pecheux and YSL Beauty Ambassador Kaia Gerber illustrated the perfect holiday beauty look with joint instruction and a live model.
VIP PARTY
Aminé set the Holiday Stage with an opening set including his viral hit “Caroline”. Yaeji’s warm sparkling beats called guests to the dance floor into the night. Coco & Breezy kept the energy flowing into the weekend with a DJ set on Friday and Sunday, while Orange Calderon spun the decks on Saturday.
SOCIAL CONTENT
CREATIVE DIRECTION
MATTE Creative Directs the the A&I-driven social UGC for the US team, providing treatments and shot lists for the influencer talent to self-capture products in dynamic and authentic ways that are distinctly YSL,
with impressions in the tens of millions.
ALL HOURS SOCIAL CAMPAIGN RESULTS
CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION
In addition to the development of socially driven creative concepts, MATTE works closely with YSL to ensure all hero campaign materials are optimized for use across all social platforms.
