office envy

Wherever the team is, the vibe is “At the end upbeat and fast-paced. “Work hard, play hard” is the collective MO. “We of the day, are super type A, but we love to laugh François A and listen to music,” says Rabin, whose taste veers toward ’90s playlists. Park [Nars] is a is currently into The 1975, Snakadaktal and former FOAM cover girls Haim. makeup artist. Polished and always fashion-forward To him, there Narsissist’s describe the office attire. Black on black with a pop of bold Nars makeup are no rules... is a perennially popular ensemble. “I do a serious smoky eye,” says Rabin, who Don’t take joined the team two years ago, while [makeup] so Dream Park says she has three beauty staples: blush, eyeliner and . Kreft—who seriously that A peek inside Nars ’ never wore makeup before coming on inner sanctum reveals the brand’s board earlier this year—now can’t leave it keeps you home without Nars’ new Brow Gel and New York City headquarters is her go-to lip colors Funny Face and Yu from pushing home to cutting-edge innovation— (she wore the latter on her wedding boundaries.” and “bold lips” galore. day). As for the brand’s notoriously provocative product names (Deep —Chopin Rabin By Emma Grady Throat blush, Pillow Talk ), Photographed by Andrea Tese “None of us get embarrassed pitching they re-create different looks from the [the media],” says Kreft. “Parents runway each day. magazine might not feature our Orgasm “Everything about the brand comes blush that much, but I think our names through [Nars],” says Park. “His view on are fun.” beauty is so specific; he’s creative in New York Fashion Week—or “month,” the truest sense.” But while the label’s as Kreft calls it—is chaos. Then again, namesake is committed to quality and the bustle is expected when you’re looking beyond the conventional, most can spot a ‘Narsissist’ (the collaborative environment. “Everyone highly coveted and working with major of all, he’s about fun. “At the end of the nickname for a devoted Nars is accessible. If you need to speak to designers including Alexander Wang, day, François is a makeup artist,” says fan) before meeting them,” says Louis [Desazars], our CEO, he’s right Marc Jacobs, Rodarte and 3.1 Phillip Rabin. “To him, there are no rules. It’s Denise Kreft, 32, senior there,” says Chopin Rabin, 34, director Lim, as Nars will be in September. just makeup. Try it—if you don’t like it, manager of US public relations of global communications, pointing to “ Despite the intensely busy schedule, take it off. Don’t take it so seriously that Ifor the beauty juggernaut. “There’s the his large corner office. “If you want to the girls still make time to have fun: it keeps you from pushing boundaries.” bold lip, the way they carry themselves bring an idea or anything to the table,

Hair: CANDICE CRAWFORD Makeup: JUSTIN HESLOP USING NARS Park created the Fashion Week Makeup Words of wisdom that extend to more and the way they put together their it’s actually possible.” Challenge, a competition in which than just beauty. clothing.” Like the skincare and makeup Large, vibrant campaign images— label’s founder, François Nars—who each photographed by Nars himself— launched the company with 12 highly hang on the walls, featuring top models pigmented in 1994—the girls including Alek Wek, Stella Tennant and who work for him are confident, , who dons Fall 2013’s striking outspoken and passionate. Adds deep-blue Kamchatka and Heather Park, 34, director of digital rich crimson Mysterious Red Velvet media: “It’s fun to work at a company Matte lip pencil. Desks throughout where you can be talking about a the space are neat with common marketing strategy one moment and the essentials: magazines, business next be asking, ‘Are you wearing 413 cards, sleek black Nars mirrors and Bleecker [a lip shade named for the NYC a few personal items. “I have little boutique] on your lips?’” knickknacks here and there,” says Park The -owned company’s of her Buddha figurine, Ganesha statue corporate headquarters is located in (a gift from beauty blogger Karla Sugar) the thick of Midtown Manhattan in a and bike helmet (she commutes from sweeping 36-floor building designed Astoria, Queens). Rabin’s desk is littered by famed architect César Pelli; the with editorial shoots Nars recently shot 70-plus Nars employees work on the for W, Vogue Korea and Vogue Japan— sixth floor, while the parent company some of which are set at his stunning is on the 15th. Similar to the label’s home on Motu Tané, a private island iconic minimalist packaging, the he owns in French Polynesia. “It’s the CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: office is sleek, modern and tasteful. most unbelievable place I have ever Denise Kreft at her desk; vintage A spin around the premises reveals a been in my life—ever,” says Rabin, who campaign images and makeup samples decorate a conference room; the glass clutter-free and organized space with oversees the company’s 23 markets FROM TOP: Nars’ minimalist welcome area features the Fall 2013 outside an executive’s office features an abundance of natural light, white around the world. “It messes with your campaign image of Toni Garrn; books by François Nars (X-Ray, swipes of the brand’s iconic lip pencils; furniture and rows of desks separated head because you’re in paradise but Makeup Your Mind and Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself); the magazines with editorial spreads shot by low-profile dividers that support a you’re still working.” Fall 2013 cosmetics collection, along with the just-launched Nars by Nars sit on Chopin Rabin’s desk; Hearts Los Angeles makeup set. (L to R) Heather Park, Rabin and Kreft.

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