Lancôme is the name of the luxury cosmetic brand, which was established in 1935 in France and acquired by the large L’Oréal Group in 1964. The brand is famous for its high-end skincare and make-up products, as well as perfumes, which are sold and loved all over the globe.
Lancôme is one of the brands, which once choose their style and follow it with no changes. The logo of the brand was designed at the very beginning of its history and stayed almost untouched by today.
The brand’s logo is based on a principle of simple and chic elegance, which is laced by the ethnology of the name “Lancôme”, evoking a sense of mystery and intrigue. The name was given to the brand by its owners, d’Ornano, who was inspired by the Lancosme forest, famous for its roses.
Roses played a very important role in the history of Lancôme, and the first and only graphical symbol of the brand depicted a fine and sophisticated golden rose, a symbol of beauty and femininity.
The rose is usually placed on the product packaging, above the iconic Lancôme logotype, written in all capitals. The logotype on the cream and perfume bottles usually also features gold shades, but the official color palette of the brand is monochrome.
The Lancôme logotype in all-caps of a strong and fine serif typeface looks airy and light, it is luxury and exquisite, yet shows the brand as the one, focused on the quality of the product and its ingredients. The simple capitalized “Paris” tagline under the main wordmark is executed in a traditional sans-serif font, adding modernity and stability to the image.
Throughout the years the Lancôme logotype hasn’t changed much, and there were only two main typefaces, which are still used by the brand depending on the product line and purpose. Version number one, which was designed in the 1930s, features a typeface, which is very close to Bell Pro Regular and Carlson Family fonts, with a very delicate and thin sign above the letter “O”.
As for the second version of the Lancôme inscription, it uses a bit bolder and more modern typeface can which looks pretty close to Agatho Regular Caps, with thicker lines and massive triangular serifs. The circumflex above the “O” here has longer and more visible lines. This second version of the logo, designed a bit later after the original one, has a special contemporary style and turns traditional and classy lines into confident and trendy ones.
The official color palette of the Lancôme visual identity is monochrome. Black lettering on a white background, a timeless classic combination. It represents the stability, seriousness, and elegance of the company, pointing at its value of style and professionalism.
The additional elements and package design of the Lancôme products are usually executed in gold and black or gold and white palettes, which look fancy and chic, accenting on the brand’s essence and purpose.