Theres no shade here, by the way.
I am one myself, specifically Stig Lindberg mid-century ceramics and obscure style magazines from the 1980s and 1990s.
I must have been the only 9-year-old who had a very brief period looking like Paloma Picasso.
Lochie Stonehouse
Vogue:Lochie, lets start at the beginningwhen and where and how did your collection start?
Lochie Stonehouse:I began acquiring vintage cosmetics in 2009, well before I was a makeup artist.
Over the years, I would pick up the odd item, although pretty inconsistently.
Lochie Stonehouse
In 2019, I began working for LOreal Luxe as Director of Artistry for YSL Beauty.
It was there that I fell in love with the brands collector palettes and began collecting with more intent.
In 2022, I began adding Dior Beauty to my collection.
Lochie Stonehouse
V:What was the first thing you bought/found, and why did you get it?
The heavy solid-brass lipstick case is inlaid with a Swarovski heart-shaped crystal, in the most beautiful ruby red!
V:How many pieces are in the collection?
Lochie Stonehouse
The glass display cabinets were custom-made locally.
They take up residence in my makeup studio for my clients and friends to see when visiting.
I only had them made recently, which I had been putting off for years.
Lochie Stonehouse
Previously the items lived in storage boxes.
It feels nice to have them on display for people to appreciate.
I convince myself that it validates their cost!
Lochie Stonehouse
V:I am assuming there is some overarching theme to it; Whats that theme and why?
Everything was either inlaid with Swarovski stones or designed to be worn as a piece of jewelry.
Its why I refer to my collection as retro and contemporary, rather than vintage.
Lochie Stonehouse
My collections do not pre-date 1986 and the vast majority sit between the early 1990s to mid 2000s.
This is why I prefer to generalize the collections as being retro.
Although, I do have some special items that can definitely be considered vintage!
Lochie Stonehouse
V:Is there something about bygone beauty packaging that particularly appeals to you?
Sometimes even gold-plated brass.
The vast majority of cosmetic companies today have switched to paint-coated plastics and unrecyclable hard plastics.
Aside from being unrecyclable, these cheaper materials tarnish easily when well-used and well-loved by the consumer.
V:How do you know what to collect?
Are you, I dont know, scouring vintage magazines to see what was released when?
These YSL Beauty collections were usually inspired by the fabrics or theme of the collection presented by Saint Laurent.
In saying this, learning what the brand had launched pre-2013 is challenging.
At times, this has offered me clues into the early or forgotten-about collections.
V:How do you date the things you collect?
LS:I keep a Google spreadsheet for each collection.
The collection’s insurance policy calls for it, ha!
Whats the relationship between the twoif any!?
LS:Thank you!
Trend and evolution are linear, and cannot be severed.
I think that your work can reference the past, while still reading as future-focused.
I would love more than anything to find YSL Beautys 2014 Swarovski embellished Couture Palettes.
Because these plates were only released at Selfridges department store in London, theyre near-impossible to find.
If anyone has one in their possession and would consider selling it, c’mon get in touch!
