The collection was announced back in August, and it started out as a change.org petition backed by Aaliyah’s brother, Rashad Haughton, Missy Elliot and Aaliyah’s former makeup artist Eric Ferrell. A petition was also the genesis of M.A.C’s Selena collection, launched in 2016. On the petition, Haughton said that M.A.C was the late singer’s favorite makeup brand. Her go-to products were reportedly the since-discontinued Chelsea lipstick and Biscuit eyeshadow, along with Cherish lipstick, Chestnut lipliner, and Espresso eyeshadow.
In an Instagram post, MAC also teased a brown-nude (very ‘90s!) shade of lipstick from the collection, saying that it was inspired by an Aaliyah song and asking fans to guess which one. The company also partnered with i-D to invite Aaliyah superfans to be part of the short film they’re making to celebrate her legacy.
The petition’s creator, Jennifer Risinger, wrote: “Aaliyah stands for MAC’s mission of ‘All ages, All races, All sexes.’ She was a risk taker, innovator, edgy, street but sweet, and R & B’s princess. She continues to influence today’s mainstream artists, and people around the world still love and celebrate her life and music every year.”
The second product teased was an eyeshadow palette with nine shades of metallic and matte browns and golds, and a rosy pink and deep purple. Aaliyah had many iconic looks, from the cover of One in a Million to “Rock the Boat” to her role in Queen of the Damned. In other words, get ready for ‘90s glam and a nice remembrance of the singer’s “risk-taking”, “street but sweet” style. There’s no news yet on product names or prices, but either way, there will be fans rushing online shopping carts and shelves in June.