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United States Sir John has forged a distinguished career as a makeup artist, creative director, and executive, working with global figures and leading beauty brands.
Sir John was appointed as Chief Creative Officer and equity partner, a role encompassing shaping the brand's creative direction. He joined the brand due to their authentic commitment to inclusivity for people of color.
Sir John joined Medicube as Creative Director, aiming to bridge Korean skincare innovation with global, inclusive beauty. This marks his first partnership with a skincare brand, aligning with his focus on skin health.
Sir John was named the first Makeup Creative Director for Kilian Paris. In this role, he collaborates with founder Kilian Hennessy to shape the brand's makeup vision, philosophy, artistry, and innovation.
Sir John formed a glamorous alliance with KISS Products as the KISS Lash Artist Ambassador, demonstrating his commitment to advancing beauty boundaries, particularly in the lash category.
Sir John serves as a creative director for L'Oréal Paris USA, marking him as the brand's first Black creative director in the United States, contributing to their overarching beauty strategy.
Sir John has partnered with Barbie, though specific details of the collaboration were not provided. This partnership is noted as one among his various brand endorsements.
Sir John has collaborated with MAC Cosmetics, with his prior history working at their makeup counters and his use of their products, such as MAC Fluidline Eye Liner Gel and liner in Graphblack, for celebrity clients like Beyoncé.
Sir John Barnett, born on July 1, 1982, in Buffalo, New York, developed an early interest in art, receiving formal training from the age of six and honing his skills at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts (BAVPA). He moved to Atlanta, Georgia, at eighteen to study art history, printmaking, and sculpture at American InterContinental University. His entry into the makeup industry was serendipitous; after filling in for a canceled makeup artist at a photo shoot, he was offered a job at a MAC Cosmetics counter. At 19, he transferred to MAC’s SoHo Bloomingdales in New York City. By 23, he transitioned into visual merchandising, creating displays for Barneys New York, Henri Bendel, Bergdorf Goodman, and Gucci, while also working as a makeup artist at the Riviera Gentlemen’s Club in Astoria, Queens.
His career advanced significantly in 2010 when a chance encounter with makeup artist Yadim Carranza led him to work under Pat McGrath, first at Bryant Park in New York City, and shortly after at Milan Fashion Week. During Milan Fashion Week, he worked a Dolce & Gabbana fashion show and a Prada show, and notably worked with his first celebrity client, Naomi Campbell. Soon after, he began assisting Charlotte Tilbury, who introduced him to Beyoncé in September 2010 at Tom Ford’s first womenswear show during New York Fashion Week. Sir John made his debut as Beyoncé’s makeup artist at this event, solidifying his role with an agreement in 2012 to become her dedicated makeup artist.
As Beyoncé’s makeup artist, Sir John developed numerous looks for music videos, magazine spreads, the Super Bowl, world tours, and red carpet appearances. Significant projects include creating looks for the 2013 “Beyoncé” album visual content, the Super Bowl 50 halftime show in 2013, “The Formation World Tour” in 2016 which supported the album “Lemonade,” and Beyoncé’s “Beychella” performance at Coachella in 2018. He also contributed to her looks for the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in 2018. Beyond his work with Beyoncé, he has worked with notable celebrities including Serena Williams, Chrissy Teigen, Priyanka Chopra, Margot Robbie, Zendaya, Naomi Osaka, Mary J. Blige, Iman, Celine Dion, Viola Davis, and Naomi Campbell. His influence extends to executive roles, serving as a creative director for L’Oréal Paris USA since 2015 and as Chief Creative Officer for CTZN Cosmetics since 2022. He was also an executive producer and in-show mentor for the reality television series “American Beauty Star” for two seasons.
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