Former Dragons’ Den star Touker Suleyman is entering beauty with his very own cosmetics brand Lipstick London – a 13 category-strong lip-only range he hopes will become “the authority on lips”.
The British-Turkish Cypriot fashion retail entrepreneur and BBC television personality, best known for investing in start-up businesses on reality show Dragons’ Den, has taken the plunge to create his own one-stop-shop lip care brand, which comprises lipsticks, liners, glosses, stains, oils and balms across 99 shades, priced from £14 to £21.
He aims to “disrupt” the lip category, transforming lipstick from a single purchase into a wardrobe mindset – much like what has happened in fragrance with scent layering, and an idea which is also a staple in fashion – to drive trade-up across the “affordable luxury” range.
To mark the launch, Lipstick London is also opening permanent branded kiosks at Westfield shopping centre’s two London, UK, based destinations to drive awareness.
“We want to be the people’s champion for lipsticks – whoever uses lipstick from the age of 18 upwards, we will cater for them,” says Suleyman.
“We want [the brand] to be the authority on lips. Great quality, great design and great value – and value does not mean it is cheap.
“We want to be a one-stop-shop for lipstick, and I am bringing the connections that I have got in sourcing, strategy and quick decision-making to turn this into a fully-fleshed business.
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“Lipstick, as we know, is done by lots of [beauty] brands, so the first thing I did was look at who invented the lipstick, and from there, looked at how everybody else has [continued to] improve on it.
“And that is what I am doing now. I am reinventing lipstick. I am taking a look at the competition and saying, ‘how can we do it better?’”
Suleyman has a large fashion empire rooted in the DNA of affordable luxury, including brands such as Hawes & Curtis, Ghost, Finery and David Gandy Well Wear.
The serial entrepreneur acquired the trademark for Lipstick London more than 40 years ago, but admitted that back then he was not “focused on the beauty industry”, that was until four-to-five years ago, when his instinct on it changed.
He has created Lipstick London with the help of well-known MUA Paul Marsh – who has held senior artistry roles with make-up giants Chantecaille, Laura Mercier and By Terry – and entrepreneur and Commercial Manager Marietta Hickman.
“All the ingredients are sourced worldwide, and we have a great sourcing office in Hong Kong,” explains Suleyman.
“And we are using an amazing factory that is [beauty retailer] Boots' number one manufacturer, so we are coming from a pedigree factory which I know personally.”
British-Turkish Cypriot fashion retail entrepreneur and BBC television personality, Touker Suleyman
How Touker Suleyman’s Lipstick London plans to ‘disrupt’ the lip category
Lipstick London has been 18 months-in-the-making, which included research, development, formulation and testing to ensure it delivers on three
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