It’s fair to say that both Ilia and designer Gustaf Westman are having a moment. While Ilia’s makeup and beauty products are currently on fire, Gustaf Westman isn’t a household name just yet. However, his “curvy mirror” (along with the seemingly endless number of dupes) was one of the hottest looks on TikTok in the past year. So what better combination to collaborate than Ilia and Westman?
During Frieze LA, the duo took over Café Telegrama in Melrose Hill to combine design and makeup in a unique and innovative way. This colorful pop-up featured several one-of-a-kind pieces to celebrate Ilia’s Eye Stylus launch, which are eye shadow sticks inspired by classical art. The result was way more than coffee and conversation pieces—it was the perfect pairing, according to Westman. “Makeup is about expressing yourself, and that’s basically what I do when I design my objects!”
The Art of Makeup
The brand’s latest launch is one of its most vibrant yet. Featuring a variety of both shimmer and matte hues, these glide on for a natural, easy-to-blend look. The sticks are shadows, liners and even work as a highlighter in a pinch. Sasha Plavsic, Ilia’s founder, tells me, “When we began to develop Eye Stylus, we were inspired by the luminous colors of Renaissance art. When you walk by a Renaissance oil painting, the light catches the color, texture, and sheen, making it very dimensional—almost 3D-looking.”
With that inspiration in mind, they wanted to work with Westman. “Art and architecture have always been a crucial strand of Ilia’s DNA. Working with an architect-turned-designer like Gustaf Westman, who could tell the story of color and texture with us, was so natural,” she explains. “Bringing his incredible work, characterized by vibrant shades and bold shapes, to our pop-up café in Los Angeles, we transformed the space into an immersive experience that reflected the Eye Stylus’s blend of creativity and functionality.”
So when the brand approached the designer, he was incredibly excited about all of the possibilities. “I felt drawn to both the concept and the creative freedom it offered. Saying yes felt effortless.”
After all, while art, design, and makeup revolve around beauty, this approach was a true melding of inspiration. “The entire collaboration felt like a wholly unique opportunity to bring this modern makeup innovation to life and echo the foundational vision of Ilia—to create products that beautify and embody the creativity and care we value deeply. The Eye Stylus stands as a testament to this journey, offering performance, ease of use, and a celebration of art and beauty,” says Plavsic.
The Objects
The pop-up featured a variety of pieces designed by Westman, including vibrantly colored vanities, curved chairs, and round tables with tiny tops designed to hold a cup of coffee. Westman tells me, “The inspiration stemmed from Ilia’s vision, which centered around themes of the Renaissance and flow. I wanted to design a vanity that embodied continuous movement throughout its entire structure.”
While the pieces from the event are not currently for sale, Westman’s Flower Mirror Micro and Chunky Plates, which are available, are an easy way to get the look—especially when paired all of Ilia’s products.
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