The South Carolina-born Bess moved to New York to study theater at the Professional Performance Arts School, but beauty was always in the cards. As Bess says, "Once I realized I wanted to influence women, I decided to design my brand and launch [it] when I was 20 years old. I suppose I did not waste time in realizing my vision." Part of that vision was to go directly to Bergdorf's. "Bergdorf's has long been my favorite store-it was my dream to have my brand there. My first product launch was the Lip Wardrobe, and this remains our best seller."
Lip wardrobe, Bess explains, is a suite of lipstick and lip glosses that enhance the pout-each is fig-scented and colors range from nudes to deep reds. A similarly concise story is sold for the eyes with the Private Eye kit, which serves up eye shadow and mascara in the must-have smoky shades. Of his equally to-the-point packaging, Bess explains, "I am quite minimal myself as is my packaging. I sought a balance between modernity and timelessness."
Bess' legions of socialite and editor fans are grateful for the simplicity and are helping the budding talent with an unofficial word-of-mouth campaign. Many speak in hushed tones of their "obsession" with the brand-and the man. The slight Bess is getting high ratings for his own special man/boy beauty, to which he blushingly replies, "while flattered, I'd say the product definitely gets top billing!"
Jason Campbell
Editor-in-Chief JC Report
JustLuxe.com Contributor
