Dubai: “We wanted to turn lipstick into gold jewelry,” fashion designer Falguni Peacock told Gulf News, as she unveiled her limited edition new line of beauty products.
And bedazzled she did — once Falguni and Shane Peacock, the husband-and-wife duo whose couture has dressed Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and practically every Bollywood star — joined hands with Bollywood star Katrina Kaif’s Kay Beauty. While Katrina’s Kay Beauty is known for its affordable range, the collaboration with Falguni and Shane Peacock meant they jazzed it up a few notches.
The launch took place recently at Apparel founder and chairwoman Sima Ved’s palatial Emirates Hills mansion, where her sprawling lawn transformed into a runway of gold, colour, and spectacle.
Lipsticks gleamed under the lights, palettes shimmered like jewels, and for a few magical hours, it felt less like a beauty launch and more like a couture show with models sashayed down the runway showcasing the lipsticks and blushes.
“For a designer, beauty is always the next step, and it was organic … Katrina called and said, ‘Guys, we should do a collab, and we want to give couture in a beautiful lipstick.’ I was like, okay, we should go ahead.”
From the very beginning, the details mattered.
“I said, ‘I want the weight of the lipstick to be this way, the texture this way, and the colours.’ Katrina was like, ‘Absolutely. And gold in a certain way.’ She is a perfectionist, and I didn’t need to worry.”
They were also confident in the brand Katrina had already built.
“Kay Beauty as a brand has done so well for itself. They are one of the leading brands out of India, working for all skin types,” they said.
The collection is now available at Nykaa in the UAE, shaped with Dubai firmly in mind.
“It’s a very young look right now. Most Gen Z and millennials are buying beauty. The shades we did are very young shades,” the duo said.
“Beauty is huge in the UAE. People really get ready, they give it time. I’ve seen women really go all out with colour. This is a great market, and what better than having Nykaa as a partner here?”
While Kay Beauty is known for accessibility, the Peacocks brought their couture sensibility into every detail.
“We definitely wanted to be bedazzling,” they said. “But we wanted everyone to try it. We wanted to give a little bit to everyone — even people who don’t have an occasion and don’t need couture, but we wanted them to feel what couture is in a lipstick.”
That philosophy guided both the pricing and the design.
“The quality is great and affordable. It doesn’t have to be very expensive to come with great quality,” they said.
“We started with eight shades, then ten, then twelve, and then the face palettes that includes day and night shades. You just need two lipsticks in your bag and a palette, and you’re set. We wanted it to feel almost like a jewellery piece.”
Gold became the unifying language of the collection.
“We have the gold cover — when you hold the lipstick, you will know what we are talking about,” they said. “All the shades are amazing, whether it’s for a night out, a day function, or lunch.”
The shade names themselves are also a nod to India.
“Champagne Brocade, Mulberry Cashmere, Ruby Banaras, Rani Rose. It’s worth buying all of them in Dubai.”
Their relationship with gold, however, is not just about Dubai.
“For me, gold is more French,” they said. “You go to the palaces in France, the museums in France, Italy and it’s all about gold detailing. Our brand has always had a glam voice, and that’s what we wanted to bring out in the package.”
In an industry crowded with celebrity beauty brands, from Rihanna to Selena Gomez, the Peacocks believe standing out is about staying true to identity.
“Being true to what you do makes you stand out. There is place for everyone, whether it’s beauty or couture. But what you do and the individuality you have is what makes you stand out.”
