A Wren Says

The time has come: Louis Vuitton Beauté is here. I wrote about this upcoming launch, but it is now upon us, with inventory available to shop in select stores at the end of August 2025.

I could very easily get into the ins and outs of the 55 different lipsticks being launched and the palettes, but that would be repeating myself. Let’s have a different conversation. Who is this for?

When I watched and read reviews of luxury lip balms priced at over $50 dollars, commenters exclaimed that at that price, clearly they were not in the target demographic. But they would be wrong. Louis Vuitton, just like the many luxury brands that have recently launched beauty, is banking on people who are probably in the exact same income bracket as the commenter. $50 is a lot of money, but it is less than $3000. A $50 lip balm that beautifully displays a designer logo is a way to connect with the brand without going into financial ruin or investing in a counterfeit bag. It’s an aspirational purchase. “I can only afford this lip balm tight now, but one day I’ll buy a bag.” It gives more consumers a chance to hop on the escalator and begin a journey with the brand.

Given the way that people love to talk about “Louis” bags and how the logo is a moment to flex, I would imagine that Louis Vuitton’s venture into beauty will take off. Mind you, it is significantly higher priced than any other brand, even Hermes. Not $50, but $160. I need some details about what all factored into that pricing decision. But again, it is still cheaper than a bag while allowing someone to flash a logo and be a consumer of luxury.

Now, personally, I have a hobby of trying luxury makeup and skincare and will thus likely try this out if possible. But what about you? Would you try this?