BEAUTY
NATIONAL TREASURE
Speaking exclusively to HELLO!, Dame Pat McGrath makes the case for glittering, jewel-toned make-up
INTERVIEW: LYDIA MORMEN.
When Dame Pat McGrath arrives at a private drinks soirée at Selfridges in London to celebrate the launch of her holiday makeup collection, the chatter stops. Attendees know they are in the presence of beauty royalty.
With a career spanning over 25 years and a billion-dollar beauty brand – Pat McGrath Labs – to her name, the 59-year-old Londoner became the first make-up artist to receive a damehood, in 2021.
As we people-watch at her party, Pat, who now lives in New York’s West Village and whose fans affectionately refer to her as “Mother”, says: “There is just something about the vibrancy and irreverence of British culture that will always feel like home.”
Here, we discuss her celebrity muses and career highlights.
Pat, can you tell us how the early days of your career helped shape what was to come?
“London in the Nineties was a magical time and being part of that scene had a profound impact on my career. The city was a melting pot of creativity, with the fashion and art worlds colliding.