Fashion

Photography by Alexi Lubomirski for Lancôme 2012

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When you’re Emma Watson, a simple trip to the hair salon turns into headlines and blog posts the world over. “There was a time when people only ever wanted to ask about my haircut,” she says. “That was a big deal for a while. But increasingly now I’m getting asked about the work I’m doing, which is really nice because people are genuinely interested.” This is probably because Watson is genuinely interesting. The 22-year-old Oxford University English student who leapt to the world’s attention as Hogwarts’ brightest half-muggle, Hermione, has managed to graduate from the blockbuster Harry Potter series into a string of intriguing independent films, including The Perks of Being a Wallflower and this summer’s Sofia Coppola-directed The Bling Ring.

Although she says she’s not the “sort of person who likes posing,” Watson has also lent her intelligent gaze and elfin features to ad campaigns, first for Burberry and now for Lancôme. “I’ve wanted to work with her for many years, but I didn’t want somebody too young to be [the face of] the brand,” says Youcef Nabi, president of Lancôme International. “I don’t want people to feel that they need to put on makeup very early.” Once Watson matured beyond Potter, the matter was broached, and a connection became apparent between the English actress and the French beauty company. Read more »