If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably always wondered how nail polishes get named. Maybe you’ve even found yourself wishing this was your job. I know I have. It would be pretty awesome to take credit for names of cult polishes; ones that people request at the salon on a weekly basis, like “Russian Navy” or “Ballet Slippers.” Which brings us to the question: who does this for a living? If this thought has ever crossed your mind (say, at 4pm on a Friday), you’re in luck. We spoke to the very individuals responsible for naming the colors of your favorite polish brands, like Katie Jane Hughes of butter LONDON.
Where it starts
While each company has its own niche when it comes to WHAT the names are, the process all begins in the same place: naming a collection. For OPI, the seasonal collections are destination-based. The location is selected by Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Executive VP/Artistic Director and the “First Lady of Nails.” She draws from her travels for inspiration, but events, like this year’s World Cup in Brazil, also influence which country or city is chosen.
Essie Weingarten, founder of Essie, completely runs the show. Her names come from something that inspires her, whether it’s Hollywood actresses (“Leading Lady”) or childhood games (“Hide & Go Chic”). No matter what, it has to be memorable and resonate with what woman want. Every collection name is also the name of one polish in the line–but more on that later.
How collections influence colors
Once a collection has a theme and/or a name, the brand moves on to naming the individual colors within that line. Katie Jane Hughes, butter LONDON Global Colour Ambassador, explains that the D.I.Y. face treatments,
the nail polish Beyonce wore to the VMAs and
the NARS vault beauty box
[Photo:
Essie for Yigal Azrouel SS’15]
Tags:
beauty,
nail polish