MAC Cosmetics Merges Makeup Technique, Trends and Technology at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York Fall/Winter 2009

MAC Offers Video Messages Live & Direct From the MAC Backstage Lounge on Style.com

Instant Quotes and Trend Insights from Makeup Artists via Twitter and an Exclusive Ruffian Red Lipstick

NEW YORK, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning, Wednesday, February 11th MAC Cosmetics PRO Artists from around the world will start creating, executing and polishing the makeup looks that will appear on fashion runways in major cities worldwide. At Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York Fall/Winter 2009, MAC will work on over 75 shows including Carolina Herrera, Zac Posen, Proenza Schouler, Malandrino, Diane von Furstenberg and Badgley Mischka as well as newcomers like Coventry, a former designer for Donna Karan, and Ecco Domani winner Cushnie et Ochs. MAC Senior Artists, Gordon Espinet and Celebrity Makeup Artist, Gregory Arlt, will be keying the looks for shows including THREEAsFOUR, DKNY and Tadashi Shoji. MAC PRO artists will work at London, Milan, Paris Fashion Weeks as well as burgeoning Fashion Weeks in Athens, South Africa, Sydney, Sao Paulo and more.

"Each season, MAC's involvement with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and Fashion Weeks worldwide allows our Artists to exercise their craft with the world's most renowned, and esteemed makeup artists. Our team is given the chance to hone their skills in fast-paced, chaotic environments, giving them a hand in creating the looks and beauty trends that will define the upcoming season. They then take these vast experiences and bring that knowledge and skill to MAC counters and ultimately consumers throughout the world," says Gordon Espinet, Vice President of Makeup Artistry, MAC Cosmetics.

MAC will give daily trend updates and instant information on backstage happenings, as well as provide interviews with celebrities, designers and makeup artists at its private backstage lounge in the Bryant Park Tents.

MAC Creates Exclusive Content with Video Messages Direct from the MAC Backstage Lounge on Style.com

This season, MAC addicts and consumers across the world can have their very own fashion week experience through MAC's new media initiatives. MAC Cosmetics & Style.com will be the first companies to use the new Video Messaging Technology, a virtual video platform in a self-contained touch-screen monitor. Located in the MAC Backstage Lounge, designers, makeup artists, models, socialites, celebrities and media can film short clips or testimonials and e-mail them instantly to friends. Style.com will exclusively feature a selection of videos daily on the site as part of their Style File as well as their Style Studio Video player. The MAC Style.com videos will provide a voyeuristic look into backstage quips and candid moments with the people who make Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week happen. Audiences all over the world will be able to experience first-hand a designer's excitement at the start of a show, a celebrity's fashion week ensemble or a Makeup Artist's runway beauty inspiration. Videos will also be available on the MAC Cosmetics YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/maccosmetics) 12-hours after they debut on Style.com.

MAC Senior Artists Twitter with Instant Backstage Beauty Updates

For the second season in a row, MAC Senior Artists will be Twittering during New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks. In the changing landscape of media, information is shared and communicated instantly. Twitter is a micro-blogging service that allows users to send quick 140-character updates that answer the question, "What are you doing right now?" The Wall Street Journal recently said, "When [Twitter] first appeared a couple of years ago, its appeal seemed largely limited...but, like blogs and social-networking sites, Twitter is starting to cross into the mainstream...." Twitter has quickly become a breaking news source, as well as a popular network for communication.

During the S/S '09 season, MAC Twitter entries were viewed more than 540,000 times over the course of one month by over 200,000 people. This season, MAC Senior Artists will continue with Twitter and dish on the cutting edge beauty trends, fashions and top designers that dominate the fashion week scene.

Subscribe directly to the MAC Senior Artist "tweets" by signing up on www.twitter.com, embedding the widget on your website or blog, or by visiting the MAC Facebook Fan page, which is the #1 cosmetics fan page with over 150,000 fans. Die-hard fashionistas and makeup lovers around the world can also download and embed the MAC F/W '09 Twitter widget directly to their personal Facebook pages, websites or blogs, to see what's got our MAC Senior Artists all a-Twitter.

MAC IS IN THE (BACK OF THE) HOUSE!

In addition to our front of house presence, for the second season, MAC will host the F/W '09 Backstage Lounge for celebrities, journalists and insiders alike to conduct private interviews, pick up the latest trend information and escape the front of house and tent crowds. The Lounge will have the latest trend updates and face charts and visitors can potentially have their MAC video messages posted on Style.com!

Last season, the lounge was visited by celebrities such as Natasha Bedingfield, Zoe Saldana, Ana Ortiz, Keri Hilson and Deborah Cox. This season, we expect a Grammy nominated singer, a NYC trend-maker, several designers and celebrated makeup artists among others to come in for private interviews and create a special MAC Style.com video message.

MAC'S EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH RUFFIAN

MAC has paired up with New York design duo, Ruffian to create MAC Lipstick in Ruffian Red, an amplified lipstick in a bright yellow-red hue. "The shade truly captures the Franco-American Allure of our Fall 2009 collection," says Ruffian designer Brian Wolk. It was inspired by a red lacquer 18th century Chinese vase in the home of Ruffian friend and muse, Antonia Thompson. Wolk says, "Ruffian Red will not only appear on our girls lips, but will find its way into our collection, and other secret surprises as well!!" Only 500 of this one-of-a-kind Lipstick exist - it cannot be purchased and is available only to a select group of trend setters and members of the press attending the Ruffian F/W '09 show.

FASHION SHOWS ARE A PRODUCT TESTING GROUND

In addition to creating the beauty trends on the runway, fashion shows around the world play a critical role in MAC Cosmetics Product Development process. Artists have the opportunity to test-drive product prototypes sometimes years before they reach consumers. The Artists give the Product Development team specific feedback on texture, color and ease of application and in response, to meet the artists' requirements; the products are often changed as needed.

MAC Product Development will be busy backstage this year with a heavy focus on bolstering the PRO collection. The Artists will be using a selection of skincare items created specifically for someone with sensitive skin, i.e. models after a couple days of fashion shows. The products include two Pro Nourishing Essential Oil Blends, a Cleansing Water and a Body Hydrator. We'll also be testing out new PRO only Fleshtone and Brightly Colored Pencils as well as a mini version of the famous MAC PRO Paintstick. Expect to see some interesting body and colourful face makeup done with these products. MAC's fall '09 colour collection will also make an appearance backstage and lets just say the mood is VERY MAC.

ABOUT MAC AND FASHION WEEK

MAC Cosmetics sponsors fashion weeks throughout the world, including New York, London, Athens, South Africa, Sydney and Tokyo Fashion Weeks. For one month, beginning in New York, MAC's international team of over 120 PRO Makeup Artists - joined by the most talented freelance artists from around the world - join the fashion migration trail going from New York to London, Milan and Paris.

The MAC PRO Artist teams work closely with such legendary makeup artists as Tom Pecheux, Charlotte Tilbury, Val Garland, Kabuki and Polly Osmond and play key roles in creating the makeup looks on the most famous runways in the world.