Chanel makes Rouge Noir shade the focus of its new holiday makeup line

A dark red and black shade that has become a cult in the world of fashion, and especially in Chanel's history, Rouge Noir (also known as Vamp) nail varnish celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. It is therefore not surprising to find it as the focal point for Chanel's Christmas 2015 makeup collection, which will give a festive, mysterious and vibrant look, along with a touch of glamour. The collection goes to retail next month.

A classic shade

When it was introduced at the 1994-1995 autumn-winter ready-to-wear show, Chanel's Rouge Noir nail varnish instantly caught people's attention, and became a must-have shade in its own right. Prized by Coco Chanel, this deep red garnet has now become a cult shade in both the fashion and beauty worlds. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Chanel's makeup design studio has decided to focus its holiday collection on this unique shade.

Rouge Noir for eyes, somewhere between darkness and light

The spirit of Rouge Noir has been revisited in the "Création Exclusive Signe Particulier" Chanel palette (€52) which consists of four eyeshadows. These include a dark red shade, of course, but also a warm saffron-toned gold, a velvety lavender and a satin beige. These eyeshadows, which appear quilted, are all imprinted with Chanel's signature double C.

The eyes are all about contrast: soft and intense, dark and luminous. Chanel is also offering an "Illusion d'Ombre" eyeshadow in a deeply intense red-black with an iridescent shimmer (€30.50).

The "Volume de Chanel" mascara (€31.50) and the "Crayon Khôl" pencil (€21.50) are also being made available in this iconic shade, which is complemented by the "Volume Ultra-Noir de Chanel" mascara (€31.50) in black kohl and the Crayon Yeux eye pencil in saffron gold (€21.50).

A choice between a nude and a red lip

To bring out the beauty of this Rouge Noir eye makeup, Chanel has opted for a nude or a red lip, depending on the effect the user is going for: the "Rouge Allure Vaporeuse" (€32.50) gives a romantic look and the "Rouge Allure Velvet La Merveilleuse" (€32.50) is more audacious.

For more shine, beauty addicts have a choice between "Lèvres Scintillantes Rose de Lune", a pale rose with a hint of silver, and "Lèvres Scintillantes Etincelle" which has a gold tint (€27.50).

The collection is topped with a limited edition of "Le Vernis Rouge Noir" and "Le Vernis Rose Fusion" nail polishes, plus a "Top Coat Lamé Rouge Noir" which gives a metallic finish (€23.50).

Chanel's "Rouge Noir Absolument" line will go on sale next month at authorized retailers.