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Isamaya Ffrench

Makeup Artist

From humble beginnings as a face painter, the young makeup artist now has done editorials for W Magazine, British Vogue and Love Magazine.

Biography

Isamaya Ffrench is Dazed Beauty's creative director and Christian Louboutin Beauté's new global makeup ambassador. Ffrench has elevated her part-time face-painting job into an impressive career with a portfolio that includes some of fashion’s most high-profile magazines and designers. She continues to produce artistic masterpieces with unconventional narratives.

Ffrench grew up in Cambridge and relocated to London at age 18 to study 3D design at the Chelsea College of Arts, and went on to attend Central Saint Martins for Product and Industrial Design.

She began her career face painting at children’s parties, and refined her interest into skill, landing her collaborations with photographers such as David Sims and Mert and Marcus on shoots for Interview Magazine, Dazed Magazine and Vogue Italia, among many others.

Ffrench’s background in illustration and extensive artistic education serves to refine and elevate her approach to makeup. Her capacity for storytelling through makeup has landed her worked editorials for W Magazine, British Vogue, Love Magazine and several more. She has worked with stars such as Rihanna, Fergie, Kim Kardashian and Miley Cyrus, and designed makeup looks for runway shows including Iris Van Herpen Couture.

Beyond cosmetic artistry, Ffrench’s creative talent spans to include projects such as window displays in collaboration with Liberty of London for London Fashion Week 2013. In 2014, she was appointed the beauty editor of i-D Magazine, a position she left a year later. In 2015, Ffrench was appointed as ambassador for Yves Saint Laurent’s cosmetics line YSL Beauté. Ffrench is part of the London-based Theo Adams Company, a collective of artists, dancers, musicians, actors and singers — and is represented by agency Streeters London. In October 2016, she joined Tom Ford Beauty as Creative Artist Consultant. Ffrench became part of Dazed's beauty launch in 2018 as Dazed Beauty's first creative director, and in April 2019, she was announced as Christian Louboutin Beauté's global makeup ambassador.

Education

Central Saint Martins

Central Saint Martins

Vital Statistics

Born
1990
Nationality

United Kingdom

Location
United Kingdom
Member since
2016

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What is The BoF 500?

The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.