Fashion model, Lila Moss has been named U.S. ambassador by YSL Beauty, the luxury brand stated in a press release with plans to partner with influencers who are at the forefront of the next generation.
As brand ambassador, Lila, the daughter of Kate Moss will be featured in the brand's biggest and iconic makeup campaigns featuring products such as All Hours Foundation, Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick, Lash Clash Mascara, and Rouge Volupté Candy Glaze Lip Gloss.
"We are thrilled for our partnership with Lila and proud to celebrate her bold and confident character," says Laetitia Raoust, General Manager of YSL Beauty USA. "She captures the power of self-expression and authenticity, and how that can manifest through make up. She represents her generation's beauty and for that, we couldn't be happier to welcome her to the brand."
Lila added: "I'm so excited to be working with YSL Beauty. Being authentic and staying true to myself is really important to me and I'm so pleased to help spread YSL Beauty's message of empowerment and self-expression through makeup.”
We asked Megan Kennedy Grundén, Influencer Marketing Consultant and Copywriter at Ariel for her thoughts on YSL’s announcement and the rise of nepo-babies.
“In all influencer/talent partnerships, luxury brands differ from the usual commercial brands because they aren't looking for things like conversions, newsletter sign ups, etc. They want brand fame/awareness and, for lack of better words, to look cool. They want to be relevant,” said Grundén.
“In their selection process, they look for brand fit and current level of influence. These two must be mutually inclusive because nobody wants to get cancelled. So, this influencer must be socially relevant and of a certain status while also fitting into the brand's core values,” said Grundén.
The phrase “nepo-baby or nepotism baby” refers to a term Gen Z’s are using to describe children born into rich, famous and otherwise powerful families who have a head start in life. In some cases, this advantage has allowed those children to surpass even their parents status.
Others are already talking about the next generation of nepotism babies, including the children of Kim Kardashian and Rihanna.
“Let's use YSL x Lila Moss as an example. Being the daughter of the world's most renowned supermodel, Lila's entrance into the fashion industry is a birthright. Currently, she is highly relevant because she is breaking away from her mother's shadow and establishing herself as a high-fashion model. This also highlights nepo babies continuting to receive preferential treatment,” she continued. “So, we've established that Lila Moss is trendy and has enough status. Let's look at YSL's core values: innovation, quality, heritage, boldness, etc. Lila fits the bill.”
Considering how early it is into 2023, will we continue to see this prevailing trend amongst luxury brands and retailers.
“It's difficult to predict trends in the industry, as luxury brands often promote the rhetoric of diversity and representation, but the rise of nepo-babies persists despite consumer pushback. I think we will continue to see nepo-babies and AI influencers in the spotlight for awhile.”
