James Kaliardos is known for his make-up artistry of the rich and famous.
Having painted the faces of Miley Cyrus, Naomi Campbell, Lady Gaga and Hilary Clinton, and worked with NARS, Louis Vuitton, MAC and Tom Ford Beauty, his work appears regularly in Vogue’s international portfolio, giving his name weight in the beauty scene.
But earlier this year, the co-founder of V and Visionaire magazines, was named brand ambassador of prestige make-up label Siia Cosmetics.
Joining the Texas-based, K-beauty-influenced brand just 16 months after its establishment in February 2020, Kaliardos will use his background in make-up and publishing to guide the brand’s creative vision, according to Glossy.
The first campaign under Kaliardos’ direction, which is also Siia’s debut campaign, is titled ‘What’s Your Beauty’, and features Visionaire’s co-founder Cecilia Dean, and is said to convey the idea that “there’s not one way to approach beauty”, he told the American publication.
He added: “The more we challenge that [idea], the better, and open the door to who we see as beautiful and how we shoot them.”
By aligning his name to the new beauty player, he has established credibility for the brand, which is aimed at tapping into a previously untouched market.
The founders set out to supply independent stores with high-end cosmetics, after noticing demand for cosmetics at retailers when launching their hair extension business, Rose de Nuit.
“What’s interesting about his brand is that [the founders] started these independently, and often female-owned beauty stores, which are not the big conglomerate kind of beauty stores that we know,” Kaliardos said.
Siia’s founders have projected US$7m in sales over the next 12 months, having already cashed in $500,000 in sales since March this year.
The initial line comprises lipstick, mascara, eyebrow pencils, eyeliners, concealers, contour sticks, lip glosses, primers and setting sprays, which are priced between $16 and $28.
Each product is formulated with skin care ingredients, such as jojoba and sunflower seed oils.