Great Lakes Lacquer The Fashion Artist

The Fashion Artist was released in July 2015 by Michigan-based indie polish maker Great Lakes Lacquer as part of the brand's debut collection Friends Part 1. This is a vibrant medium ultramarine blue with subtle purple undertones that show themselves most notably in particular kinds of viewing circumstances, such as under incandescent light. Back when I didn't know any better, I would have called it a royal blue, and I've seen folks refer to it as very similar to Sally Hansen's venerated (and now sadly reformulated) Pacific Blue. To me, it's more like something along the lines of Majorelle blue, an intense ultramarine from the cobalt family, here enriched and slightly softened by the addition of abundant iridescent aqua flake shimmers that shift to a delicate pink at certain angles. The glowing shimmers emit a noticeable sparkle in direct light, giving the polish a glistening aspect and a Mediterranean vibe.

Application was most agreeable. The consistency of The Fashion Artist is fluid, creamy and dense with a thicker viscosity that I added polish thinner to before I began painting. Once thinned, it went on beautifully in thin to medium coats with a smooth, creamy glide over the nail that was easy to manipulate with GLL's flattened flexible brush. Self leveling properties are very good, as is pigmentation. Two medium coats deliver even, opaque coverage and full bottle color. Cleanup is easy and straightforward, with remarkably little pigment travel for a blue of this intensity and no residual staining. Huzzah! The Fashion Artist dries naturally in very good time to a smooth, soft shine. Topcoat enhances the presence of the flake shimmers.

Photos show two coats of The Fashion Artist over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Great Lakes Lacquer The Fashion Artist

Great Lakes Lacquer The Fashion Artist

Great Lakes Lacquer The Fashion Artist

Great Lakes Lacquer The Fashion Artist

Great Lakes Lacquer The Fashion Artist

Great Lakes Lacquer The Fashion Artist

Great Lakes Lacquer The Fashion Artist

Great Lakes Lacquer The Fashion Artist

Great Lakes Lacquer The Fashion Artist

Great Lakes Lacquer The Fashion Artist

Great Lakes Lacquer The Fashion Artist

 
Majorelle blue is named for expatriot French artist Jacques Majorelle (1886-1962) after the intense hue he used to paint the walls, fountains, features and villa of what he called his greatest art work, the Majorelle Garden in Marrakesh, Morocco. It's a color frequently seen in Moroccan tilework, traditional Berber hooded cloaks and around the windows of buildings such as kasbahs and native adobe homes. Majorelle later trademarked the name Majorelle Blue.

View of the villa and square fountain, Majorelle Garden, Marrakesh, Morocco. (source) The villa, designed for Jacques Majorelle by Paul Sinoir in 1931, was originally used as a painting studio. It was purchased with the garden in 1980 by French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, who funded its restoration and historical preservation. It now houses the Berber Museum, displaying Berber artifacts, jewels, costumes, weapons, weaving and decorated doors from the personal collections of Yves Saint Laurent and onetime life partner, lifelong friend and business partner Pierre Bergé.

On the nail, The Fashion Artist is well-saturated but not piercing, with a subtle twinkling visual texture and a welcoming sense of bonhomie. It's intense enough to attract attention, but less startling than something like Indigo Bananas Klein Trink Wasser or Nails Inc Baker Street. If you're looking for a vibrant medium blue that's eminently wearable any time, in any season, this one will serve you well. 

love,
Liz