Vintage Steamer Trunks and Lipsticks Inspire Lydia Mondavi's Cosmetics Collection

By Amy Flurry
February 22, 2010

When Lydia Mondavi (then Abernathy, pictured at left) married into Napa’s preeminent wine family nine years ago (she wed Robert Mondavi, the grandson of the founder of Robert Mondavi Winery) she could have easily checked in permanently to a lush new life overlooking the California vineyards. Instead, the skincare expert combined her two worlds and developed 29 Cosmetics, an "Age Protecting" color cosmetics and organic skincare collection that utilizes grape seed extract, a natural byproduct from the Napa harvests.

With 13 years of experience in the skincare industry—she designed spas and launched skincare for international brands such as Ralph Lauren—Mondavi, an Atlanta native, was well aware of the beneficial properties of grape seed extract. “It is 50 times more powerful than Vitamin E and 20 times more powerful than Vitamin C and D to protect your skin from free radical damage and environmental toxins,” she explains.

But it was on a morning stroll through the Napa vineyards while munching on a handful of grapes that she had an “ah-ha” moment. Staring at the cluster, Mondavi realized that the vines just outside the door of her hilltop home were also a resource for what she knew to be so good for the skin—grape seed extracts. (At the time, the raw grape pomace, the seeds and skins left after the final pressings, were being used as mulch and livestock feed.)

Mondavi soon set out to develop 29 Cosmetics, a line inspired by her new Napa surroundings and named after the picturesque highway winding through the valley. For help in launching the line, Mondavi invited her mother, Anita Wilbanks, who had also worked in the skincare field, to help design the packaging. Together, they spent the next four years in formulation and development.

29 Cosmetics products and packaging, including lipstick cases inspired by vintage cigarette and lipstick cases found on eBay (left) and a cosmetics carrier inspired by a steamer trunk found on eBay (right)

It was after Mondavi turned up unusual finds on eBay during the renovation of her ranch craftsman home that she began searching eBay for design ideas for 29 Cosmetics' display cases, compacts and product packaging. “I started researching Louis Vuitton steamer trunks and old world travel style ideas and we came up with some great ideas [for] packaging and design,” says Mondavi. “Then we ran across some antique display cases and discontinued colors [from other beauty lines] that we were thrilled about.”

Among her favorite finds was a brass Revlon lipstick tester unit (below) with all of the original lipstick colors still in tact. “It sits on my desk in Napa,” she says. “We love the fabulous deep reds from the 1940s, which inspired our 29 lipstick color Call me a Cab, a classic 1940’s amazing red.”

Her searching turned up another unexpected treasure: an old vintage training manual for cosmetic sales. “eBay is this huge, eclectic market and resource,” says Mondavi, whose line is now sold at ten Neiman Marcus stores nationally, online and at her own 29 Spa, a 14-treatment room luxury retreat at The Mansion hotel in Atlanta. (Starting in March, she'll also be selling at Saks Fifth Avenue in Mexico.) “If you imagine the possibilities, you’re likely to find it there!”

Roll over items for details

Minding the Store by Stanley Marcus

A gift from Mondavi's grandfather, a signed copy of Minding the Store by Stanley Marcus, co-founder of Neiman Marcus, served as their operations manual.

(buy it now price, various)

Vintage Cigarette Case

A 29 Cosmetics lip trio was inspired by vintage cigarette and lipstick cases from the 1920’s and 1940’s.

(buy it now price, $68.60)

Vintage Gold Makeup and Cigarette Lighter Purse

Mondavi’s 29 Cosmetic wristlet was designed from old style cosmetic purses that use to have chain bracelets. “We modernized this style to have a bangle bracelet,” she says.

(starting bid, $35.99)