I’ve had the pleasure of conversing with the lovely Alex Cummins on a fairly regular basis and I finally got the opportunity to ask her a few questions regarding her favorite products, inspirations and work with Illamasqua. I noticed a lot of beauty related interviews always touch on the supposed front runners in the industry such as models and photographers, but they rarely shed light on the individuals that contribute to the magic that occurs behind the scenes. I think Alex’s sense of ambition for someone so young is inspiring. In light of this, I thought I would showcase how her passion, expertise and creativity have made all the difference in becoming a successful junior brand manager and all around respected beauty enthusiast. I hope you enjoy reading her insights as much as I have.
Sylvia Lancaster, Courtney Love and Alex Cummins.
Ashley: What is it about the beauty industry that inspired you to become apart of it all?
AC: I have always loved make-up, cheesy as it sounds! I used to create looks on my friends at school, from the age of about 8 when I was experimenting with blue eye liners on my lips and red lipstick on my cheeks! I have a huge interest in the production of photo shoots, too - the inspirations, the brief, the brand values, the hair, the make-up, the nails, the clothes, the set, the photographer, the photographic style, the post production, the final images and where those images end up fascinates me. I had David la Chapelle, Man Ray and Nick Knight photos all over my walls growing up alongside the work of Pat McGrath, Max Factor and of course - Alex Box.
Ashley: What does a junior brand manager’s job entail?
AC: I oversee the digital marketing side of the brand, PR, events management, a bit of this, a bit of that. I think in my time at the company I’ve dipped my finger in every proverbial pie so I have a great understanding of the brand, where it has come from and hopefully where it is going! I have been with the company for 2.5 years so pretty much since the launch in November 2008.
Ashley: How did you start working for Illamasqua?
AC: I’ve always loved to research. I won’t buy a book without reading at least five reviews, I won’t buy a shampoo unless I’ve had a personal recommendation, and I wouldn’t go to a bar without checking out Timeout.com first! So once I realised I had a pretty damn full bag of make-up, it was going to take a lot to make me buy more, which is how I discovered blogs and forums which would give me real, honest views on products and what was working, what was just hype. So I started writing my own blog to contribute to the greater dialogue in March 2008. I attended the launch of Illamasqua in November and wrote about how inspiring it was to me in what had become a tepid, predictable industry save for a few brands. I was bored, I needed inspiration and an injection of colour and celebration of art and Illamasqua provided that! After I had written my review, the MD at the time read my blog and invited me in for an interview as I was looking for a job having finished my degree.
Ashley: What inspires you the most in your line of work?
AC: I’m still an experimenter, I like to challenge myself and my products! I’ve mixed our Pure Pigment in Furore [a champagne shade] in to clear lipgloss today. It’s pretty eye catching in the London sunshine! I like to mingle with a variety of different people and open my self up to new things on a cultural level constantly. I am as likely to be found in an underground night club in Shoreditch with a dirty martini as I am in the National Gallery with a chamomile tea. I like to experience things and opening yourself up to that inevitably inspires you and gives you a greater bank of images and experiences in your mind to draw upon. It’s great watching the Product Development team brainstorming new collections and being able to chip in with suggestions based on things that you have seen.
Ashley: What advice would you give to others that aspire to work in a similar field?
AC: Be prepared to start at the bottom and work hard. Proving yourself a valuable asset to a team will always make things happen for yuou. I lived and breathed make-up and I worked over and above my hours to prove I had what it took to work for Illamasqua.
Ashley: What is the most memorable person you have met during your time working in the beauty industry?
AC: Sylvia Lancaster - without a shadow of a doubt. She is extremely inspiring. Her daughter Sophie Lancaster was murdered for the way she looked, and yet her killers did not get sentenced for a hate crime - it was seen as an isolated incident. Apparently, being murdered for the clothes you choose to wear isn’t on the same level as being murdered for your race or sexuality. It’s absolutely insane and something that Illamasqua is working hard to change with the Sophie Lancaster Foundation charity that Sylvia runs. I think Sylvia is very brave and a strong woman for going through what she went through and working so hard to keep her daughters memory alive with the work of the charity. As a brand that promotes the right to experiment and self-express through the way you look, Illamasqua is committed to changing attitudes towards subcultures.
For more information, visit http://www.illamasqua.com/about/sophie/
Ashley: Where would you ultimately love to see your career go in the next five years?
AC: I would definitely still want to be at Illamasqua - the team dynamic and the brand are fantastic to work for. I started with a very small team and we now have about 25 in our Head Office and over 100 artists world wide. I would love to help develop Illamasqua globally - maybe Brand Director in New York? One can wish.
Ashley: What products could you not live without?
AC: From Illamasqua, the Sealing Gel keeps everything locked in place [great for my morning spinning session!], Intense Lipgloss in Indulge is a very bright pink lipgloss that is strong yet doesn’t bleed at all and Nail Varnishes in Baptiste, Phallic, Scorn and Throb are my favourites. Cream Pigments are great too, I am having real fun experimenting with those - Emerge really is the lovelist blush. I am also really looking forward to the launch of our new Skin Base foundations. I really can’t rave about that enough.
I Love SkinCeuticals products for my face, it’s techy whilst still being eco conscious. The face wash and serum are particularly divine. I also love Cow Shed candles - I got my first flat recently and it’s always filled with flowers and candles!
Ashley: What is your go-to makeup look for a night on the town?
AC: I mix it up. I don’t have just the one alter ego! I am influenced by popular culture and Golden Hollywood, so I have two wardrobes lined with cut outs of magazines with make-up looks that I like. I just have to open the doors and decide on which one I am going to take as that days influence, it makes things a lot less stressful! I’m a Virgo through and through!
Ashley: What is your favorite makeup launch from Illamasqua to date and why?
AC: We keep building and building on the collections, everyone is a whole new world waiting to be explored, so I couldn’t possibly pick a favourite! I love how excited people get, what products are the real heroes and which ones cause debate. It’s so interesting to know and very useful to us as a brand too - we listen, we take it on board and we develop. It can only get bigger and better from here!
Halloween celebrations at Beak St. Alex Cummins and NPD Assistant Halimah Haque.
I want to take the opportunity to thank Alex for partaking in this interview. I hope this will give all of you an idea of how much hard work and dedication is required to really become successful in the industry. Keep pursuing your dreams because Alex’s passion and incessant focus is a testament to how possible it really is!
at 1:37 am
Thank you - your kind words mean a lot 🙂