French eco-luxury brand La Bouche Rouge secured €2.5 million ($3MM) in funding from French public investment bank Bpifrance along with a group of business angels.
WHO: La Bouche Rouge was founded in 2017 by L’Oréal veteran Nicolas Gerlier with the aim of creating the first cosmetics brand globally to ban microplastics and plastics from everything, including product formulation, manufacturing, and selling. The lipsticks are vegan, cruelty-free, and come in recyclable, refillable packaging. Each time a La Bouche Rouge lipstick is sold, the brand supplies 100 liters of safe drinking water to the association Eau Vive International.
WHY: The investment funds the acceleration of the brand’s digital strategy along with expansion into new markets and new product development.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: In the Bpifrance statement, Gerlier said: “Luxury is there to enhance our daily life. The recent events, like COVID-19, are accelerating an obvious awareness around the world. It seems unthinkable today to create a dream that sublimates our daily lives but destroys our future.”
“Seventy percent of the selective makeup market is represented by French brands. None among them reconciles luxury and eco-responsibility,” he continued. “La Bouche Rouge is a declaration for rechargeable and responsible beauty. Far from being a niche brand, it paves the way for selective makeup of the 21st century—beauty that takes care of you but also the planet.”
“We need demanding, ethical and ambitious leaders to transform the world,” said Delphine le Mintier-Jonglez, Director of Fashion and Luxury Investments at Bpifrance.
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