Catching Up With Cindy Crawford

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Casamigos/Jason Lee Perry

FROM HER NEW ENDEAVOR WITH CASAMIGOS TO THE 20-YEAR SUCCESS OF HER BRAND MEANINGFUL BEAUTY, CINDY CRAWFORD IS STILL SPICING THINGS UP.

BY ADRIENNE FAUROTE

PHOTOGRAPHY JASON LEE PARRY

Exactly two years ago, we caught supermodel and entrepreneur extraordinaire Cindy Crawford as she stepped off the Burning Man playa with a renewed sense of freedom. Today, she’s continuing to exercise her newfound freedom by playing and creating.

This summer, Crawford, alongside her husband Rande Gerber, the co-founder of Casamigos along with George Clooney, decided it was time to ‘Cindy-fy’ Casamigos. Crawford came up with Casamigas, a jalapeño tequila infused with the natural flavor of green jalapeños, delivering a bold, spicy tequila that’s perfectly balanced with just the right amount of heat —adding a flirty flair to the Casamigos repertoire.

Crawford’s carte blanche to create has also translated into her successful beauty brand, Meaningful Beauty, which celebrates another defining decade this year by celebrating its 20 th anniversary. Here, we catch up with Crawford — covering everything from Casamigas’ cheeky bottle design to the beauty of aging — who reveals that things really do get spicier with time.

HAUTE LIVING: Congratulations on the introduction of Casamigas. Can you share the story behind how the concept came to life?

CINDY CRAWFORD: As I’m sure you know, I have had a front-row seat to the creation of Casamigos. About five years ago, Rande and I were sitting on our dock at sunset, brainstorming about how fun it would be for me to do a jalapeño-flavored version of Casamigos since my go-to drink is a skinny spicy margarita. Calling it Casamigas was a no-brainer, and then Rande designed the bottle to look like I scribbled on a Casamigos blanco bottle — crossing out George [Clooney] and Rande’s names and “kissing” the bottle.

However, it’s important to note that our process did slow down because of the pandemic. We also went through dozens of samples to get the right flavor profile. We wanted it to smell great and have the right amount of heat.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Casamigos/Jason Lee Perry

HL: Have you always wanted to explore making your own tequila?

CC: Casamigos truly was a family-and-friends project. Rande and I had a house next to George [Clooney] in Cabo. We built the houses at the same time and decided to name them Casamigos — a made-up word that roughly translated to “house of friends.” I already felt like I was the fourth partner in Casamigos, so I never thought of doing my own, but when Rande and I had the fun idea of doing a spicy one for me, I loved it.

HL: When we interviewed Rande a few years ago, back in July 2022, it was evident that his attention to detail played a significant role in Casamigos. How would you describe your creative process?

CC: Rande is an out-of-the-box creative. We bounce ideas off each other regarding our different projects, and I think we really respect each other’s input. I always consider myself a better editor than creator, but I also have moments of inspiration!

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Casamigos

HL: How did you and Rande develop the design of the Casamigos bottle?

CC: Rande took the idea of Casamigas, and he created the bottle. The design is supposed to be a bit cheeky — like a ‘Cindy takeover’ of Casamigos for this project.

HL: How do you like to enjoy Casamigas? Do you mix it with anything?

CC: When we first created Casamigas, I thought it would be an easy way to bring a little extra heat to a margarita. I love it in a spicy margarita, but I didn’t expect how much I would love it on the rocks with club soda. I love the taste, and it makes your breath smell good! Our favorite way to enjoy Casamigas is to entertain with a small group of friends at home. Rande always has the perfect playlist, and I’m responsible for the food. We like to keep things very informal, so everyone feels comfortable — I’m usually in jeans with bare feet. For now, we are just enjoying Casamigas, but I would want to do an even spicier one!

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Casamigos/Jason Lee Perry

HL: If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the Gerber family, it’s that you all approach projects and collaborations with great intention. How do you maintain this?

CC: Even though Rande and I have very different businesses, we both are very true to ourselves and authentic. That’s a big part of why our careers have evolved and lasted so long.

HL: Switching gears. With Meaningful Beauty’s 20th anniversary approaching, how have you observed the evolution of the beauty landscape? How has Meaningful Beauty evolved?

CC: Meaningful Beauty’s core goal was always about sharing my access to the best in beauty. Dr. Jean-Louis Sebagh is my partner, and we created Meaningful Beauty to help women feel good about their skin at every age. We give them efficacious and simple-to-use products at a reasonable price so they can have the confidence to go out and live their best lives. Our mission statement hasn’t changed, but of course, we are constantly updating our formulas and packaging to include new ingredients and more eco-packaging.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Casamigos/Jason Lee Perry

HL: As you celebrate the brand’s 20th anniversary, what exciting new developments or surprises can fans look forward to during this milestone year?

CC: For Meaningful Beauty’s 20th anniversary, we reformulated two of our favorite products: the Youth Activating Melon Serum and the Age Recovery Night Crème with Retinol. We found some new innovative technologies and are the first beauty company to use them in these new formulas.

HL: I love the concept that hair ages just as much as skin does. What key ingredients did you prioritize when developing products that target and support aging hair?

CC: We launched our Age-Proof Haircare System a few years ago, and the response has been very positive. We created it based on my experience of noticing how much my hair changed as I got older (my stylists noticed, too). We all know our skin ages, but no one explains that your hair will also age — and that there are products you can use to help. The Age-Proof line was the first system scientifically proven to address the signs of aging hair in six ways, so I was proud of our team for that. Our Strengthening Shampoo contains a plant-based alternative to keratin, which helps strengthen the hair.

The Smooth & Shiny Conditioner includes a silk protein proven to improve shine. The Restorative Scalp Treatment functions like a serum for your scalp and incorporates the same melon leaf stem cell technology found in our skincare products. We believe that healthy hair begins with a healthy scalp.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Meaningful Beauty

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HL: Which products from your Meaningful Beauty collection can you simply not live without?

CC: I always travel with the entire system in our introductory sizes. However, if you’re making me choose, I’d have to say our Anti-Aging Day Crème, because it’s both a moisturizer and a sunscreen; our Lifting Eye Crème to help wake my eyes up; and our hero product, the Youth Activating Melon Serum.

HL: In building the Meaningful Beauty brand, what have you discovered to be the most essential skincare products for women as they age, and why are they so important?

CC: I learned a lot from Dr. Sebagh about how, as we age, our cell turnover slows down, which can lead to duller-looking skin. So, using products that help in that process, like Retinol in our night cream, becomes more important. Keeping the skin healthy and hydrated is essential as we get older. Consistency is key: taking a few minutes every morning and every night makes a real difference over time.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Casamigos/Jason Lee Perry