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Change makers: Gucci Westman

Photography: Dan Martensen
Styling: Clare Richardson

Reads| Change makers: Gucci Westman
From Vogue shoots to the red carpet, Gucci Westman has forged an illustrious career as a makeup artist, all of which has been channelled into her hugely successful clean beauty line, Westman Atelier. Speaking with Reluxe, Gucci unpacks her experiences launching her own business, the approach she takes to sustainability, and her relationship with fellow founder, Clare Richardson.

"All of the pieces felt like they could live in my wardrobe and made me feel good."

Gucci’s calling from her upstate home in New York where she lives with her husband David Neville (previously co-chief executive officer at Rag & Bone, now her partner in beauty) and three children. Of her rural-ish retreat, Gucci - a keen rider from childhood - explains “the reason we chose this place originally is because it's real horse country. It’s about an hour from the city but doesn't feel suburban. The community is eclectic, it feels like the right sort of mix.”

It was at the property where Gucci was photographed in a mix of classic pieces for Reluxe. “Everything worked in this environment. All of the pieces felt like they could live in my wardrobe and made me feel good. I loved the black Balenciaga jacket”, she enthuses, “It was perfect. I used to wear a lot of Balenciaga when Nicolas [Ghesquière] was there; you can trust that the fit is going to be everything.”

Gucci and Reluxe founder Clare Richardson have a storied relationship having partnered on Vogue shoots, runway shows, and brand campaigns. In the past five years, they’ve both furthered their working reach and personal connection having launched their own businesses - Gucci's beauty label Westman Atelier was unveiled in 2018.
“I'm hyper-aware of consumption so I've been a big fan of repurposing beautiful clothes for a long time. Because she has such an excellent eye it makes it pretty simple to go to something that Clare has curated and know you're gonna find good pieces.”
“There's a mutual admiration for knowing how much goes into a business, from ideation to market, then seeing people wearing it and appreciating it. There's just this unspoken respect. You know what it takes; it's really not easy, but it's also so rewarding.”

Happily, this has extended into supporting each other’s ventures. “I would do anything Clare asked,” laughs Gucci. “I admire her hugely as a stylist, as a friend, as a mom, as a woman. Her approach to how she dresses people has always resonated with me because it’s how I would want to dress.”

“I love what she’s doing with Reluxe. I'm hyper-aware of consumption so I've been a big fan of repurposing beautiful clothes for a long time. Because she has such an excellent eye it makes it pretty simple to go to something that Clare has curated and know you're going to find good pieces.”

Working in the fashion and beauty industry comes with its own conundrum - how to walk that line between the rush of the new and being responsible.“It’s very tough” she muses, “And I don't think we've nailed that communication but we’re learning as a community. How do we do things better? I know I can't do all of it myself, but I can do a little bit. And that’s a powerful mindset.”
    Gucci’s inherent approach to sustainability follows from her off-duty life to her brand. “It’s the way I live and have always lived” she offers. “For us, it's always the holistic picture. It's not just that the ingredients are safe, they have to be sourced ethically - we only accept the highest certificate in terms of sourcing. We're not perfect, but we're always trying to be better, to reduce our impact on the environment, to be thoughtful and slow.”

    With Westman Atelier, she has masterfully channelled her long-learned knowledge of skin health to make sure each product fits her ethos and has a clear purpose. “We’re never intending on launching a battleship of product” she explains, offering a recent example where she cancelled a product following years of testing because Gucci wasn’t happy with the formula. “It doesn’t feel good, but that’s what it takes sometimes to get it right.”

      "We're not perfect, but we're always trying to be better, to reduce our impact on the environment, to be thoughtful and slow."

      Alongside all of this, she’s still working as a top-tier makeup artist with clients including Anne Hathaway, having recently created her mesmerising Met Gala look. “I love doing makeup and getting my rocks off and creating - without sounding too serious - memorable moments. I did so much of that with Grace Coddington, Annie (Leibowitz) and Steven Meisel; it’s a really important part of how I came up as a makeup artist.”

      And as for what’s next? “I’m always aiming to surprise and delight. That’s top of my mind. We never set out to create a brand that was just going to be a moneymaker. We wanted to create a beautiful brand that would have legs, that our children would be proud of one day, and say, “Our parents did this.”

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