Touker Suleyman is entering beauty with Lipstick London, a lip-only range spanning 13 categories and 99 shades, priced from £14 to £21.

The former Dragons' Den investor and British-Turkish Cypriot fashion retail entrepreneur has built the line as a one-stop-shop for lip care: lipsticks, liners, glosses, stains, oils and balms all sit within the launch assortment. The brand has been 18 months in the making, covering research, development, formulation and testing.

Suleyman's strategy rests on a wardrobe mindset. He wants to transform lipstick from a single purchase into a multi-product routine — a trade-up model comparable to scent layering in fragrance and a staple concept in fashion — across what he positions as an "affordable luxury" price architecture.

"We want to be the people's champion for lipsticks – whoever uses lipstick from the age of 18 upwards, we will cater for them," says Suleyman. "We want [the brand] to be the authority on lips. Great quality, great design and great value – and value does not mean it is cheap."

To drive awareness at launch, Lipstick London is opening permanent branded kiosks at Westfield's two London shopping centre destinations.

Built on sourcing pedigree

Suleyman brings an established fashion retail empire to the venture, including Hawes & Curtis, Ghost, Finery and David Gandy Well Wear — all rooted, he says, in the DNA of affordable luxury. He acquired the Lipstick London trademark more than 40 years ago but admits he was not "focused on the beauty industry" at the time. His instinct shifted four to five years ago.

For artistry and commercial credibility, he has partnered with well-known make-up artist Paul Marsh, who has held senior artistry roles at Chantecaille, Laura Mercier and By Terry, alongside entrepreneur and Commercial Manager Marietta Hickman.

"All the ingredients are sourced worldwide, and we have a great sourcing office in Hong Kong," Suleyman explains. "And we are using an amazing factory that is Boots' number one manufacturer, so we are coming from a pedigree factory which I know personally."

Reinventing the category

Suleyman frames the launch as a deliberate challenge to incumbents. "Lipstick, as we know, is done by lots of [beauty] brands, so the first thing I did was look at who invented the lipstick, and from there, looked at how everybody else has continued to improve on it," he says. "And that is what I am doing now. I am reinventing lipstick. I am taking a look at the competition and saying, 'how can we do it better?'"

He also points to his operational edge: "I am bringing the connections that I have got in sourcing, strategy and quick decision-making to turn this into a fully-fleshed business."

With permanent Westfield retail, a 99-shade assortment and a manufacturer already supplying one of the UK's largest beauty retailers, Lipstick London will test whether a specialist, single-category model can convert a wardrobe approach into repeat purchase at the £14–£21 price point.