Mario Dedivanovic’s makeup line is here.

Two years ago, the famed makeup artist told WWD he would sooner or later launch a line of his own. Much has modified since 2018, but Dedivanovic’s persistence has been a continuing.

On Oct. 1, Makeup by Mario, Dedivanovic’s first beauty brand, bows direct-to-consumer and at Sephora with a 21-sku collection of eye makeup products. The range was created for cosmetics enthusiasts of all levels, from casual Sephora shoppers to skilled makeup artists, and the initial lineup is a nod to Dedivanovic’s signature technique. Those that know his work know he all the time begins makeup with the eyes.

What’s not immediately apparent is the inspiration for the road. Chatting with WWD via Zoom, Dedivanovic said he was influenced by the colours of human flesh, arteries and organs.

“I wanted a brand that is totally universal, especially in this primary collection, [so] that each one of my clients would give you the option to make use of it — and my followers,” Dedivanovic said. “I began to research and study the shades inside the human body. All of us have the identical shades, regardless of where you’re from, [and] surprisingly enough, we don’t have plenty of shades inside our bodies. To not sound morbid, but principally to indicate that [the collection] is really universal and comes from inside us.”

Makeup by Mario’s initial offerings include three palettes, three primer-powder sets, a hydrating translucent balm, three skin illuminators, a liquid liner, two eye pencils, a brightening pencil, five brushes and makeup remover wipes.

The products are thoughtfully crafted from utility to aesthetic to composition. Dedivanovic worked with creative director Fabien Baron of Baron & Baron on the design. The palette sizes stand in contrast to the recent trend of oversize palettes with dozens of shades. Makeup by Mario’s palettes are concerning the size of an iPhone, meant to slot in the palm of 1’s hand.

“It’s unnecessary to have an enormous palette. Palettes expire,” Dedivanovic said. “For me, eyeshadows must be smaller and never weigh lots. I travel for a living, so I would like things which are easy to scrub. Also, you get the true color of the product against white. If you go to a studio to shoot, every thing’s white since you’re capable of be more inspired against the white backdrop. I desired to bring that into the road as well.”

Along with the human body, Dedivanovic was inspired by crystals and native metals.

“I manifest into crystals lots,” he said.

The Master Metals palette comes with a spatula and removable “mixing well” during which users can mix the shades with a individually sold enhancing liquid. A detail-oriented teacher at heart, Dedivanovic demonstrated this process to WWD via Zoom using a high-definition camera.

The alternative to bring Makeup by Mario exclusively to Sephora was a no brainer for Dedivanovic, who began his makeup profession on the retailer as a beauty adviser in Manhattan 20 years ago.

“Before I went to Sephora and walked into that store unintentionally, I used to be a particularly closeted young man who was eager to go to Manhattan and find people like me,” he said. “After I walked into Sephora, my life modified. I discovered beauty, and I discovered my true calling — the primary time I discovered my talent and my passion. I used to be making, I don’t know, seven or eight dollars an hour 20 years ago. And exactly 20 years later, on that date, I’m launching in North America and Canada [in] all stores.”

Last yr, Dedivanovic launched a set of 13 makeup brushes at Sephora. The gathering sold out in a matter of hours, in response to Artemis Patrick, Sephora’s executive vp and global chief merchandising officer.

“Over his 20-year profession, Mario has emerged as an incredibly influential figure in beauty, particularly on this planet of artistry and makeup education,” Patrick said via e-mail. “Though clients should not necessarily venturing out as often for social occasions, we’ve seen a continued demand for our artistry brands, as fans are using this prolonged time at home to experiment with products and sweetness looks.”

Sephora has seen a 35 percent increase in Instagram Live views on founder and sweetness expert content, Patrick added.

In constructing the Makeup by Mario team, Dedivanovic brought on Alicia Valencia as the corporate’s global president. Valencia is a beauty industry veteran with 25 years of experience at brands corresponding to Bobbi Brown and Pat McGrath.

“I used to be touched by [Dedivanovic’s] passion for education and his desire to share his craft,” Valencia told WWD via Zoom. “That’s something that’s so lost within the industry at once. There are few makeup artists that care concerning the community as much as he does.”

Makeup by Mario is self-funded by Dedivanovic and a member of the family. He initially approached investors, but ultimately decided to not tackle investment “because I didn’t want my infrastructure to be tainted,” he said.

“I invested every thing I had into this and that was scary,” he said. “I went through this strategy of people attempting to develop into a component of [the company], but I used to be adamant that I didn’t want anyone to have a say. I desired to give you the option to do what I need to do as an artist.”

Dedivanovic is already planning launches for 2023 — expect foundations and powders — and is creating products inspired by his nearly 8 million Instagram followers, a few of whom have paid to attend his Master Class. Attributable to COVID-19, Dedivanovic’s Master Class series has been postponed, though he’s researching ways to carry a digital version of the identical caliber as his in-person ones.

“I had plenty of things planned for the yr and all of it stopped because these events have lots of of individuals in them,” he said. His Master Class Albania installment once drew 2,200 people.

“The in-person event has a large, 50-foot screen, so the standard of what I’m doing is top of the range,” he said.

He has continued to do makeup in the course of the coronavirus quarantine, but that has slowed as he and his clients are not any longer traveling for press junkets, photo shoots and events.

“It’s going to come back back little by little,” Dedivanovic said. “I don’t think any of that is everlasting. It’s a tricky spot we’re hitting, but we’ll overcome it and things will begin to get back to normal.”

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