Following its summer 2023 debut on Roblox, Fenty Beauty is continuing its play for the gamer community with a product collaboration with Netflix’s “Arcane.” The show, which is Riot Games’ first animated series, is based on the “League of Legends” video game. The collaborative collection, which will be available November 2, encompasses Fenty-favorite products in new, limited-edition colors. It was inspired by the four female leads on the show: Jinx, Vi, Mel and Caitlyn. The second season of the show, which will also be its last, debuts November 9 and stars Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Purnell in voice-acting roles.
As part of the partnership, Fenty’s global makeup artist, Priscilla Ono, created the makeup looks worn by the animated characters in this season of the Netflix show.
“This was about aligning our missions and brands,” said Nanette Wong, Fenty Beauty’s vp of global brand marketing. “We’re always on a quest to innovate and bring communities together in a global way.”
There are several synergies between Fenty and the world of Arcane, according to Wong. “[When you think of] gaming, you may have a very stereotypical picture of a guy in his man cave, playing games. But the goal of [the Arcane team] is to celebrate women in the gaming community,” she said, noting that the “League of Legends” game has a 40% female player base.
“We wanted to partner with Fenty because there are a lot of similarities in how we want to engage with the communities we serve,” said Kiahna Manker, creative producer at Arcane. For one, both prioritize inclusivity. “For Riot, we make free-to-play games for a global audience. And Fenty launched with 40 foundation shades to make their products as accessible as possible from the start. We place a lot of value on bringing the best to our fans, audience and player base and expanding our global communities in a fun way.”
For Fenty, the collaboration is also a play for growth in global markets. It will be celebrated with a premiere event in Los Angeles, as well as with events in Paris, China and the Middle East. “[Riot Games] is a huge global brand,” Wong said. “League of Legends” has 100 million monthly active users.
In addition to the IRL events, Fenty and Ono will be promoting the collection on social media. Fenty Beauty has 13 million followers on Instagram and 3 million on TikTok. Ono has 878,000 on Instagram and 130,000 on TikTok.
Ono told Glossy that the process of creating makeup looks for Arcane’s animated stars wasn’t much different from creating makeup looks for real people. “I tried to bring out their personalities and personas seen in the Arcane series. I learned about their backstory, their emotions, what they wear and how they move, and then we designed their beauty looks as the finishing touch. … It really pushed the boundaries of my creative thinking and what is possible with makeup,” she said.
For the products, Fenty decided to lean into color and pigment because gamers — particularly female live-streamers — look for makeup that will look bold and bright on-screen. The collection includes Fenty’s Hella Thicc Volumizing Mascara in a cobalt blue, plus a gold highlighter and a shimmering gold liquid liner.
“They always have beautiful makeup on when they livestream,” Wong said. “We wanted something that would show up so they can feel empowered.”
Gaming and beauty have been increasingly connected in recent years. Along with Fenty, E.l.f. Beauty, Maybelline and Essence have established a presence on Roblox.
