By Jia Lissa 
The beauty industry has long been a fertile ground for influencer collaborations, yet few stories capture the essence of consumer power and brand agility quite like the genesis of Bellini, the shimmery rose-gold eyeshadow from Saie, co-created with beauty influencer Hannah Chody. What began as a personal quest to find a replacement for a beloved, discontinued shade has blossomed into a testament to digital community engagement, product development innovation, and the potent influence of social media on retail trends, culminating in a product that shattered sales records.
The Genesis of a Search: A Discontinued Darling
The journey commenced on March 4, 2023, when Hannah Chody, a creator with a substantial following exceeding 387,000 on Instagram and a significant presence on TikTok, shared a video expressing her deep affection for Tom Ford Beauty’s "Golden Peach" eyeshadow. Describing it as "the absolute perfect color, looks good on everyone and lasts forever," Chody believed she had found her ultimate staple. Her discovery of the shade’s discontinuation, revealed through a follower’s comment, marked the unexpected turning point. This realization spurred an immediate, almost instinctive, reaction: the purchase of two additional pans of the cherished shadow for safekeeping, signaling the depth of her attachment. This personal lament, however, quickly transformed into a public spectacle, igniting a dedicated content series that would captivate hundreds of thousands and ultimately reshape a brand’s product offering.
The "Golden Peach" Odyssey: A Viral Content Series
The quest for a worthy successor to Golden Peach officially launched on August 8, 2023, with Chody’s first TikTok video detailing her initial explorations. The early stages of her search involved rigorous testing of commercially available products, aiming to replicate the nuanced shade and finish of her discontinued favorite. Her initial attempts included the Hourglass Voyeur Eyeshadow Stick in "Prism," which she found to be a cool rose gold that lacked the necessary pink undertones, and the Sisley Paris Ombre Eclat Liquide Eyeshadow in shade 3, which offered a pink-rose hue but was deemed too sparkly and insufficiently coppery.
As the series progressed, it evolved into a dynamic showcase of consumer frustration and the collective power of online communities. Brands, recognizing the burgeoning interest, began sending Chody products for review, while she continued her personal expeditions to retailers like Sephora and Ulta, meticulously comparing shades against a swatch of the original Golden Peach she often carried. This period, spanning from late 2023 into early 2024, saw the content series achieve viral status. "The series was going super viral and it gained so much momentum," Chody recounted in an interview with Allure. "I kept going because people kept suggesting [more] and new eyeshadows were brought to the market, and it evolved from there." This sustained engagement and the continuous influx of new product suggestions fueled the narrative, transforming a personal preference into a widespread beauty investigation. Over the course of two years, Chody estimated she tested upwards of 50 different shades, meticulously documenting each trial and error for her engaged audience.
The First Overtures and the Pursuit of Authenticity
While the "Golden Peach" search gained significant traction, the prospect of a direct collaboration began to emerge. In early 2024, Chody received an unsolicited proposal from a smaller beauty brand. She had previously purchased and tried products from this brand, but ultimately deemed it not to be the right fit for a partnership. "It didn’t feel like the right fit because it wasn’t a brand that I had a connection to or I felt passionate about, and the eyeshadow that I had tried wasn’t my favorite," Chody explained. This experience underscored a critical element of her approach: authenticity and genuine passion. For Chody, a collaboration needed to transcend mere product placement; it required a deep personal investment and a belief in the quality of the final offering. "It was really important to me that it was not only getting the color that I wanted, but a formula that I really loved," she emphasized. This commitment to genuine endorsement became a guiding principle as she navigated subsequent opportunities.
A Persistent Hope and a Patient Wait
Throughout her extensive search, Chody harbored a persistent hope that Tom Ford Beauty might reconsider discontinuing "Golden Peach." She maintained a cordial relationship with the brand, even attending their fashion week events, yet the possibility of the shade’s return seemed increasingly remote. "My first goal was maybe, hopefully, Tom Ford would bring it back," Chody admitted. "Obviously, I started to become a little less bullish on the potential of that happening after about 18 months of talking about it." This prolonged period of anticipation, marked by the continuous pursuit of a dupe, highlighted the enduring appeal of the original shade and the significant void it left in the market.
Saie Enters the Arena: A Collaborative Vision
It was against this backdrop of sustained consumer demand and Chody’s unwavering dedication that Saie, a beauty brand known for its clean formulations and minimalist aesthetic, entered the conversation. In the fall of 2025, approximately two years after her search began, Saie reached out with a proposal that resonated deeply with Chody’s desire for an immersive and authentic partnership. This wasn’t a passive endorsement; it was an invitation to co-create.
The collaboration quickly moved from concept to execution. Within a month, Chody found herself in Italy, the location of Saie’s product development laboratory situated just outside Milan. She spent several days working alongside the Saie team, delving into the intricacies of the brand’s SuperSuede Baked Eyeshadow formula. This particular formula was slated for a future market release, meaning Chody was instrumental in shaping a product that had not yet been introduced to the public.
Crafting Bellini: A Journey of Refinement
The intensive lab sessions focused on meticulously refining the shade. With the SuperSuede Baked Eyeshadow formula already established, Chody’s role was to fine-tune the color, making subtle adjustments to achieve the perfect balance of shimmer, rose, and gold. "I’m not one who used to gravitate towards powder eyeshadows, obviously my favorite eyeshadow was a cream shadow, but it’s such a creamy powder that’s so easy to manipulate and use," Chody observed, highlighting the formula’s user-friendly nature. She also expressed fascination with the brand’s "low and slow" baking process, a 12-hour method designed to achieve a unique consistency that ensures longevity and blendability.
The culmination of this meticulous process was the creation of "Bellini," a shimmery rose-gold hue named in alignment with Saie’s tradition of Italian-themed product names. The name itself evokes a sense of sophisticated celebration, mirroring the product’s vibrant and celebratory appearance. The collaborative process was not merely about replicating a color; it was about understanding the science and artistry behind cosmetic formulation and developing a product that met Chody’s exacting standards for both color and performance.
Launch Day and Unprecedented Success
The official launch of Bellini on October 15 marked a significant moment for both Chody and Saie. Positioned as a permanent addition to Saie’s SuperSuede Baked Eyeshadow collection, the product was met with immediate and overwhelming demand. According to reports from Business of Fashion, Bellini sold out within mere hours of its release. This rapid depletion of inventory underscored the pent-up consumer desire for this specific shade, a desire cultivated over two years of Chody’s viral content.
The impact of the launch extended beyond immediate sales. Saie reported that Bellini’s release propelled the brand to become the most searched-for brand on Sephora’s website on launch day, a claim confirmed by Sephora itself, which noted Saie as among the top-searched brands. Further amplifying the product’s success, an exclusive gift set featuring Bellini, available on TikTok Shop, reportedly set a new record for the highest unit sales of any featured brand to date on the platform, according to Business of Fashion. While a TikTok representative declined to comment on specific sales figures, the reported success speaks volumes about the platform’s ability to drive product discovery and conversion.
Beyond the Hype: Market Implications and the Future of Collaborations
The success of the Bellini collaboration offers a compelling case study in the evolving landscape of beauty marketing. It demonstrates that while influencer marketing is not a novel concept—evidenced by past successes like Jaclyn Hill’s collaboration with Becca Cosmetics—the depth of engagement and the co-creation of permanent product lines represent a significant advancement.
The "Golden Peach" saga illustrates the power of sustained organic content and authentic consumer advocacy. Chody’s multi-year dedication to finding a replacement not only built a loyal audience but also generated undeniable market demand, making her an ideal partner for a brand seeking to tap into a clearly defined consumer need. For Saie, the collaboration provided an opportunity to leverage Chody’s engaged community and her compelling narrative to launch a new product with pre-existing demand and significant market validation. This approach bypasses the traditional risks associated with new product introductions, offering a more predictable path to success.
The implications extend to how brands approach product development and marketing. The story of Bellini suggests a growing trend where brands are increasingly willing to collaborate with influencers on product creation, rather than simply engaging them for promotional campaigns. This shift allows for the development of products that are more closely aligned with genuine consumer desires, as evidenced by the successful replication of a beloved, discontinued hue.
Furthermore, the remarkable sales performance highlights the efficacy of multi-platform marketing strategies, utilizing the unique strengths of platforms like TikTok and Sephora to drive awareness and facilitate purchase. The record-setting sales on TikTok Shop, in particular, point to the platform’s growing importance as a direct-to-consumer sales channel for beauty products.
A Look Ahead: The Enduring Appeal of Authenticity
As for Chody’s future endeavors, the success of Bellini has undoubtedly opened new doors. While she acknowledges the immense learning experience and the enjoyment derived from the collaboration, she remains open to future opportunities. "I have no idea if another collab or anything like that is in my future, but I’ve had so much fun, so never say never," she remarked. She has already identified a potential future project: a teal-green Chantecaille eyeliner that previously enhanced her green eyes. This suggests a continued interest in bringing back beloved, hard-to-find products, driven by personal passion and a keen understanding of consumer sentiment.
The Bellini story is more than just a product launch; it is a narrative about the power of a single voice amplified by a digital community, the strategic agility of a forward-thinking brand, and the enduring allure of a perfectly crafted beauty product. It serves as a potent reminder that in the dynamic world of beauty, authenticity, engagement, and a deep understanding of consumer desires can transform a personal quest into a monumental success.
