Francois Nars

Born in the South of France, François Nars grew up dreaming, digesting and living out loud the fashion pages of Vogue. After attending the Carita Makeup School in Paris, François brandished his talent as a one-man industry and moved to New York City in 1984.

Immediately upon arriving he began working with fashion's top publications, becoming a star in his own right. François' collaborations with top designers including, Dolce & Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, Karl Lagerfeld, Anna Sui, Versace and Valentino among others, helped transform the accepted face of beauty. At the same time François regularly collaborated with legendary photographers such as Richard Avedon, Patrick Demarchelier, Steven Meisel, Helmut Newton, Irving Penn and Bruce Weber.

François' approach to modern makeup was and still is revolutionary; believing that makeup is not a mask and that the woman must shine through.

Eventually becoming frustrated with the cosmetic lines available, François developed and successfully launched a small collection of twelve lipsticks at Barneys New York in November 1994. Born from François' fascination with color, purity and texture, NARS is synonymous with the ultimate in modern makeup and lifestyle products.

François introduced the first NARS advertising campaign in the fall of 1996, marking his foray into photography. His unique style of photography was recognized immediately, and he continues to shoot all NARS advertising campaigns.

In 1999, François' wildly successful photography book X-Ray was released, an embodiment of individual style and personality. Makeup Your Mind, the ultimate instructional makeup manual featuring the world's most recognizable models was later released in 2001.

Continually working on new projects to grow and develop the brand, François is the creative force behind NARS, a successful photographer and a legend in makeup artistry.