“Bring the fun back.”
So declared Nicola Formichetti, global creative director of MAC Cosmetics, at The Catalysts, just hours before he was honored as Creative Force of the Year at the 2025 Beauty Inc Awards.
The architect of Lady Gaga’s early 2000s image and the brains behind Doja Cat’s lipstick-eating stunt at the MTV VMAs this year, Formichetti, himself, knows how to have fun; it’s the makeup category he thinks could use a jolt of playfulness.
Nicola Formichetti (left) and James Manso (right) at The Catalysts conference on Nov. 21.
Allie Joseph
The 48-year-old kick-started the discussion by reflecting on the years leading up to his role at MAC. He detailed his journey growing up in Japan and Italy, working for Dazed and Confused in London at 18, to becoming Lady Gaga’s personal creative director and later the artistic director for Mugler and Diesel. Amid all this, he also launched Nicopanda, his own unisex streetwear brand.
In May, Formichetti was named the new global creative director of MAC, marking his official move from fashion to beauty. The transition was a natural integration for him, one that had been building for some time.
“Growing up as a queer kid, MAC had such a big impact on me,” he said. “MAC stood for inclusivity, and that showed even though I didn’t wear makeup.”
He continued: “Fashion and beauty are sort of like different sides of the same coin, and we go hand in hand. I’ve been so lucky to be surrounded by all the makeup legends and makeup artists. And actually, MAC was one of the first brands to give me an opportunity when I was a young stylist in London.”
Nicole Formichetti talks about creating his first campaign for MAC at The Catalysts.
Allie Joseph
Since joining the team, Formichetti has proven his anti-fluency aesthetic is just as robust in beauty as it is in fashion. His first campaign, “I Only Wear MAC,” went viral for its diverse talent lineup, from Doja Cat to Kris Jenner and French influencer Bách Buquen, who attracted the most engagement, according to Formichetti. The images were shot in black and white, a unique — albeit counterintuitive — decision for a foundation campaign.
“I’m such a student of culture and beauty and fashion, so I always look back,” Formichetti said. “In fact, this campaign, I wanted to do something that was timeless and classic and beautiful, not all this crazy noise everywhere. I thought, ‘What is the core DNA of MAC?’ It’s about inclusivity, all ages, all races, all genders. I thought, ‘This will cut through the noise. And it’s not typical.’”
When asked about his creative process, Formichetti said there’s no set formula he follows. Even after months of research and prep, he’ll still rattle his own plans at the last minute. “I used to say that with Gaga, we were studying a lot and we’d have lots of options and all these ideas, and on the day, we just do the opposite,” he laughed.
And while he’s been the maker of many buzzy moments — Lady Gaga’s 2010 MTV VMAs meat dress, to name one — virality hasn’t impacted his creative approach. “I think if you force things to go viral, it doesn’t work.”
As for what to expect, product- and campaign-wise, from him and MAC in the coming weeks, Formichetti teased “something crazy.”
“I see MAC as like a toolbox, a beautiful toolbox, where all the colors and everything are inside, and we’re just like unleashing it,” he said.
#Nicola #Formichetti #Creative #Process
