Alexandra Leclerc’s new Rhode collaboration is a pocket-sized self-portrait. There’s Gemini, a shimmering candy pink named for her star sign; Monaco, a terracotta nod to the place she calls home; Monet, an apricot shade inspired by her favorite artist. Sweet Apple, meanwhile, references her favorite desserts. And then there’s Leo.
Leclerc’s beloved miniature dachshund has his own starring role in the campaign for Rhode <3 Alexandra Leclerc, the limited-edition collection launching September 15. It was only natural. “He’s the best. He brings the best vibes,” Leclerc tells Vogue. “He’s always so happy. He’s the happiest dog. Honestly, he just lightens everything.”
Indeed, it’s difficult to separate Leo—who she shares with husband, Formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc—from her world at all. “We bring him everywhere. He’s always with us! We treat him like a child,” she says. Leo, of course, was front and center at the couple’s wedding as a groomsman in a custom tuxedo, and is a paddock regular. While he’s been with them from Florence to Corsica this summer, there is currently only one destination that has proved tricky: a safari. “We always plan our trips based on whether the hotel is fine with dogs,” she explains. “The safari is the one thing that’s holding us back—we don’t want to leave Leo behind!”
Photo: Courtesy of Rhode
Photo: Courtesy of Rhode
Her relationship with Rhode has been rather easier to navigate. Leclerc became the brand’s first muse-ambassador when she starred in its fall Lip Case campaign in 2024, having already been using the products herself. Her gateway was Hailey Bieber’s original Glazing Milk. Then Pocket Blush arrived. “That’s my all-time favorite product,” she says.
For the new collaboration, Leclerc and Rhode have shrunk that essential down into Pocket Pearl: three miniature versions of the blush with a new reflective, shimmery finish. There’s also the Sweet Apple Peptide Lip Tint, a butterfly Flutter Charm, and a carabiner that allows the tiny blush to be hooked onto a bag. It’s a detail particularly suited to someone frequently on the move. “It’s a collection that really fits naturally into my lifestyle, which was important,” she says.
As an art historian and alum of the prestigious École du Louvre specializing in 20th century art—you can peep her visual inspirations on her dedicated Instagram—having a beauty collaboration with personal and visual references felt right. “They’re all named around my world: Monaco is my home, I’m very much a Gemini, and I just love Monet. Oh, and I love sweet apple!”
