Inge Grognard: the anti make-up artist

Inge Grognard, the makeup artist chosen by Martin Margiela and the Antwerp Six, revolutionized the concept of makeup. Far from perfection, her approach focuses on uniqueness and provocation, aiming to express identity and challenge aesthetic conventions. With her non-conventional style, makeup becomes a form of expression rather than just an enhancement of appearance.

The Beginning of Inge Grognard's Career

Originally from the Belgian city of Genk, her connection to beauty began when she met a young Martin Margiela, thanks to her niece Josiane, who went to school with Grognard. "It was clear that I wouldn’t become a designer. My drawings weren’t that great, but I was focused on what matches with clothes, and that’s where makeup came in." And that's how it all began. Over the years, she became the makeup artist for some of the most important Belgian designers like the Antwerp Six: Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs, and Marina Yee.

The Essence of Her Looks

Her makeup comes from the idea of embracing imperfection, creating iconic looks like the mascara-streaked eyelid in a photoshoot for Margiela. Though many label her as "grunge," her style is much more. Inge reinterprets makeup in a non-traditional and artistic way, simplifying it to its essence to make something unique. With makeup, she simply expresses human emotion and individuality. She likes to surprise, making the viewer reflect on what they are really seeing, like in the case of fake prosthetics at the Balenciaga runway. Contact lenses, colored lips, and smudged eyeliner are just a few of the features of her looks.

The Inspirations

Inge draws inspiration for her looks from the Japanese dark scene, influenced by designers like Comme des Garçons and Yohji Yamamoto, as well as horror films. She loves the darkness of black and dark tones in clothing, and she transmits this vibe in her makeup.