February 1, 2018
Since its creation in 1986, the World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) has endeavored to highlight the history and cultural significance of the game of chess. The WCHOF’s collection includes a diverse array of chess sets, as well as many chess-themed objects like advertisements, barware, and home decor. This chess-themed lipstick was selected for display in connection with the WCHOF’s current exhibition PINNED! A Designer Chess Challenge, which displays chess-inspired fashion created by the inaugural class of the Saint Louis Fashion Incubator. Through these artifacts, the WCHOF illustrates how chess has evolved through its over 1500-year history and how it is perceived in popular culture.
Lipstick Queen
Lipstick Chess
2017
Lipstick tube: 2 ⅝ in.
Box: 2 ¾ x ¾ x ¾ in.
Matte lipstick and cardboard box
Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame
Purling London
Luxury Chess Board
Date unknown
17 ⅝ x 17 ⅝ in.
Wood
Courtesy of Q Boutique
Unable to find matte lipstick in the 1940s-inspired colors she admired, Poppy King created her first brand of lipstick when she was 18 years old. She would later go on to found Lipstick Queen, the company that produces this chess-inspired line. Among the shades are Dashing Mocha Knight, Determined Mauve Bishop, and Ruby Red Queen. King visited the Chess Forum, a shop and game parlor in New York, to learn about chess while developing her chess-themed collection. Purling London, a producer of luxury chess sets, made the chessboard on which the lipstick is displayed.
