Earlier this week, when it was revealed that the Pat McGrath Institute had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (a way for companies to consolidate their debts while continuing to operate), one person said: Reaction on Twitter He took a swipe at the internet’s sympathetic opinions about the brand’s financial situation, saying: “Pat McGrath’s products are out of reach for most black women, so she’s an oppressive elitist and I’m glad she’s going bankrupt. That’s why Danessa Myricks took her place.”
From there, Small but noisy corner Criticism from the black community has piled up against one of the most successful black women in beauty history. Occupies a luxurious space. “To be honest, given its positioning and the type of customers it wants to attract, it’s too expensive. So sales are down. It’s not like Hermes Beauty or Carolina Herrera. another user wrote. “Pat McGrath (himself) is a legend. But Pat McGrath Labs (the company) is not established enough to capture the same audience as brands like NARS, MAC, and Too Faced. It’s self-sabotaging to price your products the same as them when you don’t have that reach yet.” I wrote something else. one Other responses “She believed that since she was doing makeup for celebrities, the prices had to be ridiculously high from the beginning. As a rookie, she priced her makeup at the highest prices. Before she can run, she has to crawl.”
For the uninitiated, the brand’s makeup artist Pat McGrath (a lady of the British Empire, by the way) has repeatedly revolutionized runway beauty, painting the faces of celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Taylor Swift, and Gigi Hadid. Most recently, she used the viral glass skin she created for John Galliano’s 2024 Maison Margiela Artisanal show.
And she’s caught in a terrible double standard. Luxury brands are generally not expected to be accessible on price simply because that is not their business model. Victoria Beckham Beauty sells foundations for $100, while La Mer has some of its moisturizers priced at more than $80. No one is calling them oppressive or demanding that they lower prices in solidarity with white women who can’t afford it, but that seems to be exactly what you would expect from the Pat McGrath Institute. (Incidentally, Pat McGrath’s 10-color Mothership eyeshadow palette retails for about $128, and her lipsticks range from $29 to $39, which puts her in the exact same price range as brands like Natasha Denona, Chantecaille, and, yes, Danessa Myrix, which is exactly what some Twitter users are championing as a more “accessible” alternative to Pat McGrath Labs.)
“Accessibility” has become a test for Black-owned brands of all kinds. When Black people start a brand, there is an assumption that the product should be cheaper and available to the mass market. Founders like the late Sharon Shooter of Woma Beauty I remember facing countless questions. Obtain information from your customer base about pricing. For a black leader of extravagant beauty, it’s an impossible position. They are expected to serve the entire community at a price point that everyone can afford, while succeeding on their own terms.
Source: Allure – www.allure.com
