The Mothership - Pat McGrath Labs x Selfridges
If you haven’t heard about Pat McGrath’s launch in Selfridges, you must have just returned from a holiday on Mars or a faraway cult commune. Finally the Mothership has landed in the UK, in my favourite department store and frankly, it’s about bloody time! No more envy over others who regularly purchase and post their PM treasures online; now I can play with and purchase products directly in store *happy twerk* - This is a three month partnership and collaboration with Selfridges for their ‘A Technicolour Odyssey’.
I had the pleasure of attending Selfridges’ event; Pat McGrath Unlocked with Beauty and Lifestyle Director, Jessica Diner, British Vogue. The talk was held in the Ultralounge which is a room hidden behind a discreet door on the LG floor. We were met by male waiters/ models who offered glasses of Prosecco or a cocktail and then we entered a darkened room. There was so much to take in, from the bright screens showcasing some of Pat’s most iconic works, to a separate section in the corner where Pat’s makeup artists were working their magic. Because there were so many photographers and videographers documenting everything and everyone, I kept having to mentally chastise myself as I kept pulling stupid faces at the wonder of everything.
There was an excited buzz around the place as everyone took their seats and were eager to see the mother of makeup herself. First off, a man introduced the petite and pretty Jessica Diner, who then introduced the woman herself with some brilliant stats including, 3300 runway shows, 129000 models and 500 magazine covers! Since her make up career spans around 25 years, that’s approximately 20 covers per year!! W O W! When Pat came up on stage, she was met with a chorus of cheers, screams, chokes, whoops and hollas. You could tell how much she’s loved!
The first thing that stood out to me and made me feel privileged to be at the event, was when Jessica shared it’s the first time Pat’s done such a public event, speaking to an intimate audience. The second thing I noticed was her accent and considering, she’s primarily been residing in the US for the last few decades, how British she still sounded. She’s originally from Northampton and she hasn’t lost her “Britishness”.
“Pat-isms”
Jessica touched upon Pat-isms such as “divine”, “obsessed”, “major” amongst many others. These words popped up frequently during the talk, and provided much humour when Pat emphasised them in sentences.
What would PM have done if she hadn’t gotten into makeup
Pat shared if she hadn’t gotten into makeup, her other love was for Opera, and she joked that she could have been the Maria Callas of Northampton. But she is glad to have found makeup.
Who inspired PM
Whilst growing up, Pat’s mother had a great impact on her, especially with regards to her love of makeup and fashion. Her mum was obsessed with textiles, patterns, fabrics and makeup. Pat humorously recalled hiding from her mum every rainy, Friday afternoon when her mum would shout for her, to take her on shopping trips.
Pat remembers her mother wearing a lot of makeup and working the “full look”. It was her mother who taught the young Pat about dewy and glowy skin, and said if you ever overdo your makeup, take a decadent hot bath, giving the whole Studio 54 vibes.
When was PM’s big break
Pat didn’t feel like she necessarily had one big break, rather ‘micro breaks’ in her career but in the beginning, she worked on the music scene and with Soul II Soul.
She remembered one time in particular, when it was a rainy day and she was crying. Just when she was about to give up on makeup, she received a phone call asking her to go on tour in Japan with Caron Wheeler (Soul II Soul). They remembered her from a job she had done three years prior. This led to Pat working for British magazine i-D and being named beauty director.
Pat McGrath’s cover of i-D magazine
PM’s history with Vogue
She’s currently a Beauty Editor at large for British Vogue and Jessica joked that it pretty much makes them colleagues. They discussed Pat’s experience of when Jessica first joined Vogue and also the friendship between Pat and Edward Enninful (Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue magazine). Pat and Edward have a long time friendship (both met whilst working for British fashion magazine i-D) and Edward apparently blames Pat for being the loud person he is today. Jessica shared how similar the two are, and how they share similar phrases; sometimes Edward will say something in a meeting and colleagues will remark how much he sounds like Pat funnily.
PM’s obsession with London
At college, Pat was obsessed with the Blitz Kids and openly admitted to stalking pop stars. Being from Northampton, people have an obsession with London, especially with the clubbing scene and the art galleries. Pat used to tell her mother she was going to the Tate but would go instead go clubbing and smoking. Just before her journey home, Pat used to go to the Tate to buy the postcard and books which her mother would then see when unpacking the suitcase.
Moving to London, Pat got a job on Kings Road, which gave her further opportunities to stalk pop stars back in the day.
What advice would PM give to makeup artists
It’s about being new and honing your craft to find who you are. The majority of the attendees were makeup artists therefore her first advice was that “you have to love it, because there’s nothing easy about it”. She remarked that it’s the most wonderful job, to be able to work and play in cosmetics, “is there anything better?!”. Perseverance is important and never stop. The joy is infectious and people like to work with people who are into what they’re doing.
What made PM stand out from others
Back then, people had to follow the trend and mainly did grunge but Pat wanted to do something different. She experimented and had fun, such as doing acid strong lips on bare faces and playing with metallic pigments. Pat was not consciously trying to set trends. However she is a trend setter, take for example, the Swarovski lips which is very rebellious and avant garde.
Back then it was so hard to find the perfect gold, and Pat wanted one that you could wear on the lips and body. Glitter lips came about that way too. Pat recalls fondly Naomi Campbell’s glitter lips for the MTV awards and when her name/ brand was announced, she remembers screaming with joy with her whole team.
Pat also does more shows than anyone else and her team have been with her for over 20 years. She joked about her kit and taking so much luggage with her. She would have to check in 67 bags - one time it was up to 87 bags - and act like it was normal, but jokes that you can’t get away it with anymore.
What you don’t know about PM
Pat openly admits to being a hoarder and especially addicted to handbags. Pat referenced herself as a hoarder several times, and said that she even has a whole warehouse dedicated to crystals which she sources from all over the world. The crystals are great for shows but often they get discontinued so then she has to frantically search all over the place for the right products.
Pat loves to ride her moped. When Jessica called her passion a moped, Pat quipped “She’s not a moped, she’s a demon” doing special deliveries, “delivering me”. Pat shared that she loves riding because it clears her mind and she can be free. By doing this, she arrives to places feeling really fresh and not hassled by traffic jams for example.
How does PM choose her teams
In a recent competition, there were over 30,000 entries, with the entrants having to do one of the show looks. ‘Baby Jenna’ won the contest, who was a nervous girl that says “yes” to everything. She was invited to Paris and Milan and then permanently joined the team. Baby Jenna shared that when she was younger, her mum told her that she shouldn’t pursue makeup and should get a ‘real job’ but Baby Jenna told her that she would work for Pat McGrath one day and years later, here she is!
Why Selfridges
Pat is excited about her products finally being in London where she’s from. Pat has always loved Selfridges since she was young and has memories of Boxing Day sales and running in with the crowds (for fun) but not buying anything. Pat loves retail and shopping, which is a major aspect of her life but she joked that she has lots of other aspects of her life too.
Why does PM like to wear black
Pat joked that she likes the dark major feel and though her team are storm troopers, they’re not Jedis yet. She said she has always loved wearing black as it’s a practical colour due to messy makeup but joked that it’s also good for carbs. She said she will one day break out in colour with her midriff out!
What is it like to work backstage and is there competition between hair and makeup teams
There is rivalry between hair and beauty, with a ‘Tom and Jerry’ type relationship as they’re always competing. In a way they attempt to sabotage one another as neither want to be the team responsible for making the designer late. However it is just fun, with lots of laughing and giggling.
What is the legacy PM wants to leave behind
Anything is possible.
All of PM Labs imagery appears futuristic and distorted, what is the inspiration behind this
Pat creates this distorted effect because beauty is a different world. The mash up is a type of new world beauty. She can still be inspired by a red lipstick from the 40s but with a futuristic formula.
Shade name inspirations
Pat said naming her products is like naming children. Sometimes she will sit in groups for 8 hours coming up with the right names and occasionally there will be fights over names. It’s like a baptism session but the name has to be right because it lasts forever. Pat believes that the colour and name are equally important.
Impact of social media
Pat has seen firsthand, the impact of social media and the changes in the industry. Twitter was instrumental in communicating with fans and influencers, it’s a great community. She loved the fact that fans were quoting shows, lipsticks and covers which really surprised her. She described it as a ‘two-way street’ and a great exchange; just as much as they get out of her, Pat also listens to their feedback.
Pat has also seen an increased interest from the media with shows. She recalls one photographer back in the day and now, there are tonnes to the point where sometimes she feels she is ‘chest to chest’ with them.
Pat also mentioned one follower who is very devoted to the brand, but she has never met. Whenever she drops the first photograph, the follower correctly guesses what the product is 99.9% of the time - Pat doesn’t know how she does this. The follower also contributes ideas and when PML initially wanted to do individual shades, the follower insisted on a palette and that's what Pat did.
PM’s favourite product of all time or favourite launch
One favourite product to launch was Skin Fetish amongst many. She was so secretive back in the day and when people wanted to know what she used on the cheekbones, she refused to reveal her secret. Years later, we now know it was Skin Fetish.
Pat said she can’t choose a favourite product ever, as it’s so difficult. However, the most emotional product to launch was her MatteTrance lipstick collection. She remembers carrying the product in her pocket for one year but having to keep it a secret. When it finally launched, and with the reaction it received, she remembered she and her team were all weeping.
Her first product launch was Gold 001 and when she initially launched the product, thought it was limited and as a gift to her fans, she was aware she would do a full line sometime in the future; although she was under no illusion that it would take time.
Final Thoughts
The event’s £125 tickets were purchased through Eventbrite and though it initially seemed pricey (I thought it was just for the talk, but it wasn’t - will get onto that in a bit), I felt justified in spending this, just to see Pat McGrath in person. She is someone who inspired me during my makeup career and someone who continues to inspire me with all that she has achieved.
When we initially entered the Ultralounge, my eye caught a glimpse of the bags waiting for us, in that famous bright, yellow design. Goodie bags!! We received the new FetishEyes mascara (5ml size) and Lip Fetish (lip balm - full size) in Clear. I wasn't expect a goodie bag, therefore this was a pleasant surprise!
After Jessica’s talk with Pat, we welcomed a surprise guest, Youtuber and Influencer Jackie Aina who called Pat McGrath ‘Aunty Pat’ affectionately. Jackie also briefly interviewed Pat, and I knew she would be doing a longer talk with her the following day.
Jackie Aina and Pat McGrath
When the talk was over, the audience were encouraged to ask Pat questions but the only one stipulation was a Pat-ism would have to be included in the question - hilarious! Once Q&A was over, Pat then stood up to share some of her tips and tricks with 12 of her most iconic looks. Again, we weren’t expecting this and it was such an amazing surprise; the definition of #makeupporn. I loved the variation of the event, keeping the content fresh for the audience. See below for the 12 looks she discussed, shared tips and provided a mini tutorial on.
Pat McGrath in her element.
Pat McGrath Look 1 - The Skin
Pat McGrath Look 2 - The Lips (inspired Pat’s Naomi Campbell’s look)
Pat McGrath Look 3 - The Gold (Inspired by her Prada 2016 look)
Pat McGrath Look 4 - The Mascara
Pat McGrath Look 5 - Pat’s unique way of applying lipstick…with her fingers!!! She applied it perfectly FYI.
Pat McGrath Look 6 - The Crystal Eyes (inspired by her Christian Dior Couture look 2011)
Pat McGrath Look 7 - The Colour & Pigment
Pat McGrath Look 8 - The Defined Liner (OBSESSED with this model’s skin btw!!)
Pat McGrath Look 9 - Black Swan Vibes
Pat McGrath Look 10 - The Gem Mask (Inspired by her Givenchy 2014 look)
Pat McGrath Look 11 - The Feather Lashes (inspired by her Valentino 2019 look)
Pat McGrath Look 12 - The Fierce Wing (one of my favourite looks!)
After the event finished, we were all given a further surprise being told that we could redeem the ticket price of £125 on PML products upstairs. You can only imagine the squeals of joy when we were informed of this - like little happy piglets! The PML counter is beautiful and very opulent by the way!
Pat McGrath’s Iconic Image
Pat was at the counter and doing 121 photographs with everyone. Even though there was a long line, we weren’t rushed, and I loved how she greeted everyone like they were an old familiar friend. She hugged everyone and engaged in a short conversation before a photograph was taken on one of her employee’s phone, before the photograph was air dropped to our phones. The beauty of modern technology.
Pat McGrath and I - new bessies. Chilling.
Overall, she is a humorous, down-to-earth and a real woman. Pat McGrath is someone who hasn’t let fame get to her head and remains grounded.
I’m obsessed because she’s majorly divine.
Until next time xo
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All pictures on this post are all my own.
