Lancome

Before Lanvin creative director Alber Elbaz had even toyed with the idea of collaborating with a cosmetics brand, his fate was sealed. "I knew that eventually Alber would work with a cosmetics company, and so I told him, 'If you do something with someone else, I will kill you,'" Lancome president Youcef S. Nabi, who is a close friend of Elbaz, told W magazine with a laugh. "I really wasn't kidding."

And because of Nabi's persistence, the beauty world will welcome Elbaz's ultra-luxe quad of mascaras on June 15. "Eyes are so important to me," Elbaz said. "When I think of cosmetics, I think of eyes. For Lancome, I wanted to do something funny and a little handmade." Building from these ideas, Elbaz created whimsical cartoon packaging for four of Lancome's mascaras: hearts for Hypnose Doll Lashes, blue stars for Hypnose Star, pink polka dots for Hypnose Drama, and big doe eyes for the classic Définicils. "I'm hoping women will collect all four," Nabi said.

Beyond the line of mascaras, Elbaz is slated to conjure up a set of eye shadow boxes but has no far-reaching plans with Lancome. "We'll do this project and see how it works," Elbaz said. The designer is hesitant about expanding and diluting his brand, which explains why he has never designed a secondary, less expensive line. Partnerships are also a rare affair; he never collaborates unless it makes creative sense.

His collaboration with Lancome, however, will no doubt further prove his love affair with women. "I adore women," said Elbaz, who also appreciates that being a woman today isn't always easy. "Women try to be the best everywhere, and it's impossible. I want my clothes to give women the freedom to just be — I want them to put on my dresses and shine." C'est parfait, non?

• Anna Dello Russo's Fashion Month wardrobe cost a staggering $172,000 to $200,000. [The Daily Beast]
  

• What went through Georgia May Jagger's mind as she closed Just Cavalli's Fall 2013 show? "Left, right, left right," she said. "I [tried] not to crack up — it's really hard to keep a straight face." [Vogue UK]
  

• Michael Kors will be honored with the Couture Council's Artistry of Fashion Award this September. [The Cut]
  
  More of the fashion news bits you need to know here, in our daily roundup.

Move over, messy tubes. It's time to try the latest trend in facial treatments. Sheet masks have been a popular trend in Asia for a while now, and these easy and effective ways to hydrate, treat, and relax are finally making waves in the American market. With cloth masks, there is no need for rinsing or washing away the product. You just rip open one of the individually packaged masks, unfold, and place over your freshly cleansed and dry face. Leave on for about 10 to 20 minutes, allowing the mask's concentrated ingredients to absorb into your skin. Once removed, say hello to a dewier, more radiant complexion. Three new versions to try below:

1. Sephora Ultra Soothing Fiber Mask ($6): This calming mask is made to instantly soothe stressed-out skin with mallow extract, while hydrating ingredients soften and moisturize.

2. AmorePacific Luminous Effect Brightening Masque ($120): Packed with Asian botanicals like ginkgo, magnolia, and Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle), these microfiber masks help to stop dark spots before they have the chance to form. Plus, antioxidants protect your skin from environmental stress.

3. Lancome Génifique Youth Activating Second Skin Mask ($80): Originally only available in Asia, this treatment features a high amount of the brand's famed Génifique Concentrate to improve the health of your skin and minimize the signs of aging.

All the bits fit to print here, in our daily news roundup.

• Lane Crawford fused fashion with technology to produce its first ever 3D campaign for Spring 2013 shot by Nick Knight. [Fashionologie Inbox]
• Gisele Bündchen has been named the new face of Chanel Beauty. [BellaSugar]
• Karl Lagerfeld celebrated his new photo exhibit for Cassina in Paris last night. "All those things I photographed are things I love," the Kaiser said. "[Cassina has] the most beautiful iconic pieces in the world of furniture editions." [WWD]
• Lena Dunham is rumored to be working on an upcoming comedy based on the memoir of a former personal shopper at Bergdorf Goodman. [Vogue UK]
• Kate Moss's secret to healthy nails is "eating well and juicing — the more vitamins you have the better the condition of your nails." [Telegraph]
• Kate Spade will become the second fashion house to self-launch a fragrance when the brand releases its new scent, Live Colorfully, in April. [WWD]
• Makeup heiress Claire Courtin is set to debut her DJ-ing skills this Fashion Week at a party she is cohosting with TL-180. [Fashionologie Inbox]
• 2013 is already shaping up to be a big year for Jason Wu, who just signed a partnership with Lancome. [Reuters]
• Intern Labor Rights, a subsection of Occupy Wall Street, will protest unpaid internships during New York Fashion Week. [BuzzFeed]
• Pamela Love's favorite tailor? A pair of scissors. "I really don't go to a tailor much," she added. [Garance Doré]
• Fashion just got funnier, thanks to Barneys New York. The department store has tapped comedians Mindy Kaling, Leslie Mann, Aubrey Plaza, and Will Forte to select (and hilariously narrate) their favorite seasonal pieces. [The Window]
• Speaking of Barneys, its Spring windows will feature a series of surreal films (a still from which is pictured below) by Italian artist Yuri Ancarani. [WWD]

Top photo: Courtesy of Lane Crawford; Bottom photo: Courtesy of Barneys New York

Michelle Obama isn't the only one getting her fill of Jason Wu: Lancôme announced that it'll be working with the designer on a makeup collection come Fall. "What was so intriguing about partnering with Lancôme is the notion that the brand doesn't impose a model of beauty but rather invites women to embrace themselves," Wu told WWD. "This is the embodiment of a truly modern, sexy and confident woman, much like the women I design for." We expect to get a glimpse of Wu's vision (and possibly products) for the line at his Fall 2013 showing at New York Fashion Week. However, it's sure to exude a feminine and bold palette.

Prior to this collaboration, Jason Wu has dabbled in beauty with a candle for Nest Fragrances and a line of polishes for CND. As for Lancôme, the beauty brand has already inked deals with other fashion bigwigs, including Lanvin's Alber Elbaz and handbag-maker Olympia Le-Tan. This year is already shaping up to be filled with haute collaborations.

Lanvin's artistic director Alber Elbaz is lending his whimsical touch to Lancome for a playful makeup collection. "His sense of luxury, his vision of femininity and that hint of audacity resonate perfectly with the new values of the Maison Lancome," Youcef Nabi, Lancome International president, told WWD. "We are extremely proud and happy that, with us, he is set to channel his universe in the world of makeup for the very first time."

To get the fashion and beauty world excited for this colorful collaboration, Elbaz created a 15-second animated teaser. There are plenty of vibrant eye shadows, nail lacquers, and lipsticks featured throughout the video, so expect to see some purple, blue, pink, and red in the collection that launches in June.

At St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, no family is ever required to pay for treatment, an impressive feat in and of itself. But with daily operating costs teetering in the $1.8 million range, the facility relies on the kindness of others to help keep it going. And here's how you can help. Tomorrow, Lancome celebrates Génifique Day (formerly known as Genes Day), a one-day event where the beauty brand donates $7 to St. Jude for every sale of Génifique* in-store or online. In addition, Lancome is giving out free seven-day sample trials of its popular Youth Activating Concentrate. It's a great product for an even greater cause.

*Includes only the Génifique-branded Youth Activating Concentrate, Eye Light-Pearl, and holiday gift sets.