Clean Slate

Lucia Pica’s Parisian home is as fresh and bold as the make-up look she creates for Chanel.

- Lucy Halfhead

“Make-up should never be used as a mask, only to enhance what is there,” says Lucia Pica, the Italian-born virtuoso whose modern take on beauty and talent for devising natural, fresh-faced looks has made her one of the world’s most influential make-up artists. As Chanel’s global creative make-up and color designer, she is responsible for developing up to eight new collections each year, as well as playing a part in the conception of the brand’s beauty campaigns and catwalk looks. Pica splits her time between homes in east London and Paris, where she opens the door to her light-filled apartment in the 6th arrondissement sporting her signature look: velvety red lips, a glossy fringe, and smoky eyeliner.

Dressed in vintage Levi’s 501 jeans, a Margaret Howell cashmere jacket, Chanel pumps, and Sophie Bille Brahe earrings, Pica is warm and welcoming. The flat is decorated with an alluring array of mid-century furniture, from a Pierre Chapo dining table to an Igor Rodrigues chaise longue procured in Piasa, Paris’ famous auction house, and a coffee table by George Nakashima. A vintage velvet sofa adds a glamorous touch, alongside Rupprecht Skrip wall lamps, a vase by Mathilde Martin and artworks by Harley Weir, Ben Barlow, and Jason Brinkerhoff. “You’re not just buying the item, you’re buying into history and the magic as well,” says Pica.