Legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath could be the most famous person in fashion you’ve never heard of. That might be starting to change. “The world of makeup is becoming increasingly more diverse and less about rules, which is absolutely divine,” says McGrath. “I would love to see more men comfortably explore the transformative power of cosmetics.” In our world of shifting gender normativity and embrace of non-traditional expression, the beauty world is reaching out to men—both with products that fit into masculine grooming routines, and ones that break all barriers. “There’s a long history of men trailblazing in makeup, from Louis XIV to Lou Reed, David Bowie, Prince and Frank Ocean,” says McGrath.

Courtesy Pat McGrath Labs

For guys who aren’t ready to start wearing concealer, but are fans of McGrath’s work, Pat McGrath Labs is dropping a line of unisex merch at Dover Street Market, starting tomorrow. Dubbed Apparel 001, the capsule collection includes a bomber, hoodie, and oversized longsleeve T-shirts. “The line was inspired by the men and women who have shared their enthusiasm for world of Pat McGrath Labs,” says McGrath. “I wanted to create a new, unisex way for people to love Labs without using cosmetics.” The merch could also prove to be a gateway drug for those who’re open to cosmetics but don’t know the first thing about contouring.

~EG r1 @ 12/4/2017 @ 10:18 AM

McGrath has been fashion’s favorite makeup artist for nearly two decades. The U.K.-born, New York-based beauty pioneer has defined the runway and campaign looks for countless brands—Prada, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Balenciaga, John Galliano-era Dior, to name a few—and now does makeup concepts for 60-or-so shows a season. Name a beauty trend, trace it back through tutorial videos and product launches and ad campaigns, and McGrath is probably the source. (See: dewy skin, glitter lips.) If there is an equivalent to Supreme in the cosmetics world, it would be McGrath’s beauty line Pat McGrath Labs, which she started in 2015. Stoked by cultish cosmetics culture, almost every lip stick, eye shadow palette, and Versace show face kit sells out almost instantaneously. There’s nothing entry-level or traditionally unisex about the products, as McGrath’s whole ethos is to “destroy convention and embrace cautionless self-expression.” But McGrath says guys can still very much get in on the action.

So we asked the world’s most famous makeup artist what guys should know if they want to dip in deeper than the hoodie. “The genius of makeup is that it’s never one-size-fits-all, it is as individual as the person wearing it,” says McGrath. “If a guy is into having the look of great skin, then I’d suggest a few dabs of my Skin Fetish balm on the cheeks and lips. If a man is more punk or rock, then I’d propose my PermaGel eye liner in ‘Xtreme Black.’ And how does she see cosmetics culture evolving as gender barriers continue to be broken? “As an industry, it is my sincerest hope that we continue to evolve our understanding and idealization of what is ‘beautiful,’ as new and exotic muses inspire us to be our truest selves. I hope more and more people, regardless of who they are, how they identify, or what their background is, feel empowered to express themselves in a way that feels most authentic.”

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By Samuel Hine



Samuel Hine is GQ’s Senior Fashion Writer. Sam joined GQ Style, the erstwhile quarterly fashion and luxury publication, as an editorial assistant in 2016. In 2019, he became a style editor at GQ, and was appointed to his current role in 2022. Alongside Noah Johnson and Rachel Tashjian, Sam hosted... Read moreSenior Fashion WriterXInstagram