Flamboyant pop icon Elton John can add another accomplishment to his long list of achievements – cosmetics cover boy. The legendary musician will join Garbage front woman Shirley Manson and soul diva Mary J Blige as the face of Viva Glam IV lipstick, the latest in the MAC Cosmetics special edition lip colours sold to raise money for the company’s AIDS fund. Elton, known for his own charity work for the cause, included the cosmetics firm in his latest fundraising effort, a star-studded benefit concert in LA.
MAC sponsored a glam dance act preceeding the Wednesday night show, which benefited Elton’s AIDS Foundation and AIDS Project LA. The main event featured an appearance by Elizabeth Taylor and a diverse line-up of some of the biggest names in pop, including Sting, Craig David and Bon Jovi. Famous faces on hand to support the effort included actor Antonio Banderas and his wife, Melanie Griffith.
The day after the concert, the pop superstar announced he is furthering the cause by puckering up for MAC’s Viva Glam promotion. It remains to be seen whether, as in past campaigns, Elton will wear the lip colour in the ads – and MAC plans to keep that detail a secret. The adverts, shot by famed photographer David LaChapelle, will be “closely guarded” until their launch in February. The lipstick, a frosted rose and gold shimmer, will hit US stores in March and debuts in Britain the following month, with 100 per cent of proceeds going directly to the fund.
Fellow MAC cover model Mary J Blige is no stranger to the lipstick promotion as she and rap star Li’l Kim were the faces of Viva Glam III last year, raising a record-breaking $7 million. The Viva Glam line of lipsticks, created in 1994, is the charity’s most successful fundraiser, having generated more than £16 million since its creation in 1994.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
