The Who What Wear Podcast: Violette_FR Founder Violette Serrat on Her Innovative, Effortless French-Inspired Products and Launching in Sephora
Apr 16, 2025
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Violette Serrat, a talented makeup artist and the founder of Violette_FR, chats about her brand's exciting Sephora launch. She highlights her mission to democratize French-girl beauty and the challenges she faced in aligning with retail partners. Violette shares her innovative product development process, focusing on clean, vegan formulas like the Boum-Boum Milk. Emphasizing the importance of effortless beauty, she advocates for authenticity over perfection and talks about her approach to minimalist makeup and skincare routines.
Violette Serrat's innovative approach merges her background in art with makeup to create unique products that resonate with customers' personal identities.
Her recent partnership with Sephora enables wider distribution of her brand, emphasizing a democratic approach to French beauty while maintaining creative control.
Deep dives
Violette Seurat's Journey from Makeup Artist to Brand Founder
Violette Seurat transitioned from being a makeup artist to launching her namesake brand, Violette F. Air, by creatively blending her background in art and fashion design with her passion for makeup. Despite not having formal training in makeup application, she found her unique style by using artistic techniques, which differentiated her work in the fashion industry over her 17 years in the field. Her journey included noteworthy roles such as a makeup designer for Dior and a global beauty director for Estee Lauder, leading her to develop products that reflect her innovative vision. This combination of art and makeup expertise helped her cultivate a distinctive brand identity that resonates with customers looking for authentic beauty products.
Retail Expansion into Sephora
Violette F. Air's recent partnership with Sephora marks a significant milestone for the brand as it expands to over 190 locations across North America. Originally, Seurat faced challenges in finding retail partners that understood her vision, but her collaboration with Sephora grants her the reach to share her democratic approach to French girl beauty with a wider audience. Sephora's commitment to allowing her creative control over the brand's presentation and marketing further solidified the partnership, as they were interested in understanding every aspect of her unique vision. The expansion is both a dream come true and a challenge, as it necessitates a strong team and solid foundation to support the growth of her brand.
Innovative Product Development Philosophy
Seurat emphasizes a philosophy of creating products that fill gaps in the market rather than competing with existing products, which enables her to maintain a unique brand identity. For instance, her flagship products, such as the Boom Boom Milk and Bisou Balm, were developed from personal needs and frustrations she encountered as a makeup artist, ensuring they provide tangible benefits to users. The products are not only innovative but also hold significant cultural and emotional connections, exemplified by the development of colors inspired by her childhood memories in France. This commitment to authenticity and innovation drives her product line, ensuring it remains distinct and appealing while maintaining a focus on quality and sustainability.
The Role of Art in Beauty and Functionality
Violette F. Air combines artistry and functionality in her products, aiming for customers to feel like their own artists and muses. The brand aims to promote a sense of effortless beauty, challenging conventional norms by encouraging users to celebrate imperfections and emotions through makeup. This design philosophy is reflected in products that incorporate technique into their application, allowing for quick, yet artistic results. Seurat stresses that the goal is not just about the application of makeup, but rather how the products resonate with wearers on a personal level, fostering a connection that transcends traditional beauty standards.
Violette Serrat is a makeup artist, designer, and founder of the popular makeup brand Violette_FR. She began her career in fine art and makeup artistry (listen to her Second Life episode from 2023 here!) before launching Violette_FR in 2021. This week, she joins Who What Wear Beauty Director Erin Jahns to talk about her brand's recent launch in over 190 Sephora stores across North America and how she’s bringing her democratic approach to French-girl beauty to new customers. Plus, they dive into her gondola design at Sephora, her hero products (like the best-selling Boum-Boum Milk), and what exciting things Violette_FR has coming down the pipeline.
