Beauty

5 minutes with Burberry’s Global Beauty Director Isamaya Ffrench

14.08.2020

By Redzhanna Jazmin

5 minutes with Burberry’s Global Beauty Director Isamaya Ffrench

There’s a good chance you’ve heard of Isamaya Ffrench. Her Instagram feed is a cult-favourite, showcasing her eccentric approach to makeup and beauty, with quirky self-portraits and impressive spreads alike on show. But it isn’t just her knack for social media that has made her a major name on the scene, though—her progressive, yet tasteful eye for all things beauty has landed her some high-profile jobs with international brands.

Over the course of her career so far, she has served as a creative consultant for Tom Ford Beauty, an ambassador for YSL Beauty, the global makeup ambassador for Louboutin Beauté, and has worked backstage for the runways of Iris Van Herpen and Louis Vuitton. Impressive portfolio considered, it’s no surprise that she has recently been appointed the Global Creative Director of Burberry Beauty.

Naturally, we were itching to learn more about Ffrench behind the lens and get some insight into her plans for her new gig at Burberry Beauty. Ahead, our exclusive interview with the dexterous artist and creative director:

 

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You have an impressive background in luxury beauty–what initially drew you towards the beauty industry?

“Makeup was never a thought of mine. I wanted to go into performing arts, but I grew up in Cambridge and at 18, I moved to London to specialize in 3D design at Chelsea College of Arts and ended up going on to study Product and Industrial Design at Central Saint Martins.

“After joining a theatre company I began working as a makeup artist for shows and creative editorial projects, where I began to use makeup more and more… That was back in 2010… The rest is a blur!”

 

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What does the Burberry brand mean to you and how are you going to translate this into the future of Burberry Beauty?

“I love Burberry’s modern, edgy vibe. It’s become an incredibly sexy, contemporary brand and I love that there is a duality of chicsimplicity and maximalismthat balance each other. It manages to fall on the cusp of edgy and chic perfectly—and I would like to do that with the beauty side of Burberry.

“I’ve always admired Riccardo—even before his time at Burberry—and his creative point of view, so to be guided by someone like that feels very exciting.”

 

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You’re partial to subverting beauty conventions, whether through makeup, illustration or digital abstraction. Will we be seeing this in your future work with Burberry?

“I don’t think it’s always necessary to subvert or shock! It’s about understanding your audience and what you’re trying to communicate.

“I want to inspire and seduce; to make women feel empowered, confident and good about themselves, and makeup can absolutely help do that. Burberry is for everyone and I want to work on products that perform and make you feel good.”

 

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