MPHO RANTAO
AMERICAN longtime make-up artist Pat McGrath is set to become a dame, a royal honour by Queen Elizabeth II, as part of the Queen’s New Year list of Honours.
It was announced that the veteran makeup artist and businesswoman would be awarded a Dame of the British Empire (D.B.E) for services to the Fashion and Beauty Industry and Diversity. This would be the first time ever for a makeup artist to receive a royal honour.
In an Instagram post, McGrath wrote, “Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that one day Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II would recognize me to be amongst the incredible recipients of this honour both past and present”
“My mother’s obsession with beauty and fashion ignited my passion for this amazing industry, and I feel blessed to have the privilege of working with some of the most extraordinary people throughout my career.”
McGrath is widely regarded as one of most influential figures in beauty and fashion, being well known for her avant-garde looks seen on the runway for brands like Marc Jacobs, Miuccia Prada and Alexander McQueen.
The artist started her own beauty line in 2015, Pat McGrath Labs, which is known for its inclusive range of skin tones and kaleidoscopic color palettes. The line quickly became one of the biggest disruptors in the industry, valued at $1 billion by 2018.
Some of her highest accolades include being named as one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2018, and the Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator at the British Fashion Awards in 2017.
