There Is Beauty In Simplicity
Sixty-seven-year-old Linda Rodin is the epitome of
minimalist chic. The former model, stylist, fashion editor, and now beauty
entrepreneur is known for her silver hair, vibrant lipstick, and audacious
eyeglass frames.
Her fashion and beauty philosophy is simple and streamlined.
Rodin created her cult-famous neroli and jasmine-infused face oil, Olio Lusso
Luxury Face Oil, at home in a coffee cup because she couldn’t find a beauty
product she loved that showed results. Her eponymous beauty line, RODIN,
consists of a small core collection of essentials: body oil, hand cream, and a
nourishing lip balm.
Linda Rodin used to wear light purple so frequently her
teenage boyfriend called her Lavender Lee. Recently (June 2016), Rodin launched
two new products: Lavender Absolute Face Oil and Lavender Absolute Body Oil.
With a clean and invigorating scent, the formula combines Bulgarian lavender
stems and French lavender absolute and reprises the base oils of the original
Olio Lusso she created nine years ago.
Rodin also curated a just-released Luxury Lipstick
collection . Each of the five gorgeous matte shades are housed in a clear,
modern case and are infused with her luxury oils, the cornerstone of RODIN.
Purported to be great-smelling and long-lasting, they also contain rose flower,
lavender wax, and vitamins C and E, as well as apricot, argan, and meadowfoam
seed oils – all of which nourish your lips as you wear them.
The expansion into cosmetics was inspired by Rodin’s mother,
Beatrice, who Always wore lipstick.
My father used to take films of us all from 1945 -1970. I
found a clip of my mother, Beatrice, aka Billie, riding her bike down our lane.
And she was wearing this beautiful color! So it’s Billie on the Bike.
~ Linda Rodin on the inspiration behind her lipstick shade
Billie on the Bike
The small but comprehensive lipstick line reflects Linda
Rodin’s own style:
I picked what for me are the classics. I only wear these
colors. Matching lipliners will be available soon.
IN HER OWN WORDS ON STYLE
My hair started turning grey when I was about 35.
Technically, it started early but I was very lucky because it came in evenly. I
never thought about dying my hair, ever. And when I was about 58, I realized I
couldn’t see so I needed glasses. My signature look kind of found me rather
than me finding IT.
I’ve always been a
jeans girl.
She is also a dog person: her constant companion is Winks, a
silver grey poodle.
Sleep! That’s what I always say—the same thing. I sleep a
lot and I take good care of myself. I eat very well; I’m a healthy eater. I’m
not an exercise person, so I don’t have any regime for that. I think I just
sleep well and eat well. I really think that’s the key—for me, anyway.
I don’t make makeup, so I use NARS and
Make Up Forever lipstick. I use Maybelline mascara. I’ve been using that
since I was 14 –same hot pink and green package. It literally hasn’t changed
since I was 14. I don’t wear eye makeup and I don’t wear foundation.
I eat the same thing every day. I eat organic romaine
lettuce, mixed with organic avocados and an organic hard-boiled egg. I have
some kind of organic fish or salmon. It doesn’t have to be organic; I’m not a
nut about it, but I do the best I can. I have really good Italian olive oil,
coarse salt, and sometimes I’ll have bread and cheese. And I always have two
glasses of crisp white wine.
You have to get old and embrace it and do the best you can.
You can’t try to be young forever.
HER FASHION LIFE :
“Where were you for the past 40 years?”’ she laughs. As her
star continues to burn bright, she talks
‘I wasn’t aware of fashion until my mid-20s, and I never
would have said it would be my career – I didn’t even know it was a career. I
wanted to be a photographer, but it was my sister who said, “You don’t take
great pictures, but you do get great clothes. Maybe that’s a job.”
‘My first styling job was a catalogue for Henri Bendel – the
hippest store in the world in 1983. Then I went to Harper’s Bazaar, which
wasn’t for me. It was the only full-time job I’ve ever had and I lasted 10
months. I didn’t like having to be in the same place every day.
‘Working on a Victoria’s Secret TV commercial in Venice was
a one-off, thrilling experience because I got to work with Bob Dylan and I was
a fanatic. He wore his own clothes, although he liked some of the stuff I
brought and we gave it to him. But just meeting him was a high point of my
career. He is still my idol.
‘I’ve steered away from working with celebrities, because it
can be so problematic. To dress somebody who’s not sure what they like is too
stressful. Emma Stone has a great stylist – she consistently looks good. But I
look at some outfits on the red carpet and I’m like, “Why did anybody even show
you that dress?”
‘I thought I looked great until I was 60 – honestly, I
didn’t see anything wrong. I liked that my face got narrower. I tried filler
three years ago and one day I looked in the mirror and thought, “Something’s
wrong.” My chin had got bigger and even though my face was smooth, it didn’t
look pretty to me. You can fill up and smooth out, but it doesn’t always look
better.
‘I don’t think 68 is old; it’s just that – in our culture –
28 is old. I have so many friends who are older than me who feel young, too. In
the fashion and beauty bubble I am a strange bird, but in the wider context of
the world, I’m not.
‘I did a shoot for a magazine that was so retouched that I
looked like a martian. I told the editor she couldn’t publish them. But then
every face in the magazine – young and old – had been completely redone. I
actually like the way I looked. It was funny but it was such a fraud.
‘I love Marni, Burberry Prorsum and Saint Laurent. But not
the outlandish stuff. I’m too little. Preen by Thornton Bregazzi make great
jeans and tees, and I love Acne Studios. But I’m not a big shopper. I always
buy the piece that’s on sale because nobody else liked it.
‘I have no idea how to describe my style. I’m not frilly and
I don’t dress to get attention – I’m not going to walk around in a green hat
with a purple coat. At my age I don’t do sleeveless any more and I wouldn’t
wear a short skirt without black tights. But otherwise my style is whatever
takes my fancy.
‘Most of my friends aren’t in the fashion industry, but some
of them understand what I do and that’s great. A lot of them are proud of me
for making a product that’s become recognizable. But the fact they don’t really
know what goes into it is a plus. I couldn’t be totally immersed in one thing.’
Follow Linda Rodin' Bio Link : https://oliolusso.com/blogs/linda-rodin
Written By
Susan Hooey
