With the likes of social media and live-streaming blogs meaning people are given instant access to Fashion Weeks from around the world, it’s still good to sit back at the end of it all and reflect on the huge amount of information that has been fed through.
But if you don’t have time to sit and reflect (or sift through hundreds of show reports), BEAUTYDIRECTORY is taking out some of the hard yards for you. Here, we break down the top make-up, hair and nail trends coming out of New York, London, Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks - from the minimalist and simplistic beauty looks to the weird and wonderful...
Make-up trend 1: Flawless skin
for Marchesa at New York Fashion Week
At Marchesa, designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig were inspired by 19th century American painter John Singer Sargent’s romantic portraits for the hair, make-up and nail looks. Following on from this season’s big trend of a flawless base, make-up artist Bobbi Brown opted for a look that all began with beautiful skin. “Very, very beautiful, very soft face and very silky skin. The effect is going to be retouching pencils and retouching powders and a cherry-stained lip. We wanted the girls to look flawless. Retouching powders create a little bit of a romantic feel and [are] very silky, and they’re called retouching because your skin looks like you’ve been retouched after you use it,” says Brown.
Make-up trend 2: Metallic glitter
for Burberry at London Fashion Week
The Burberry make-up look was influenced by the graphic sequin embroidery and electric colour palette found in the clothing. Burberry Beauty make-up artistic consultant Wendy Rowe created a make-up look that saw dark and metallic eyes featuring the opulence of glitter loosely applied to the outer corners of the eyes and along the top of the cheekbones. Adding a playful jewel-encrusted effect with subtle shine, the glitter was accompanied by illuminated skin with a flawless finish and dewy nude lips.
Make-up trend 3: Graphic eyes
for Kenzo at Paris Fashion Week
Kenzo designers Humberto Leon and Carol Lim were inspired by the story of Sailor Moon - a manga series featuring a Japanese school girl who is transformed into a pretty guardian destined to save Earth from evil forces. M.A.C were similarly influenced, with make-up artist Lynsey Alexander explaining the make-up look as “Sailor Moon meets naughty Japanese schoolgirl.” To get the look, Alexander created a graphic eye that traced only along the outer rim like a stencil. M.A.C Glitter in Silver was then packed tightly into the inner corners of the eye. “It’s definitely not a feline eye. It’s a punky, twisted, wrong eyeliner,” explains Alexander. The rest of the face was left quite minimal with brushed-through brows, bare lips, slight contouring, and a hint of Strobe Cream on the cheekbones.
Hair trend 1: Rock and roll
for Missoni at Milan Fashion Week
To complement Missoni’s fall/winter 2016 collection featuring the brand’s traditional range of knits in zigzag patterns and vertical stripes, Moroccanoil hair director Anthony Turner created a rock-chic look. “To highlight the collection, I thought of the quintessence of rock and roll: cool and sexy, nonchalant and edgy,” says Turner. To achieve the Missoni hair look, create a middle part and divide the hair into two sections, purposely flattening the locks on the forehead to create a 'fringe' effect. Next, give texture to the tips while leaving the rest of the hair flattened, with just a few strands free. As a final touch, wrap a scarf around the neck leaving the hair tucked beneath for an effortless, runway-ready style.
Hair trend 2: Polished glamour
for Bottega Veneta at Milan Fashion Week
This season saw Bottega Veneta deliver a high chic collection of polished, unfussy clothes. Likewise, Redken global creative director Guido Palau created a simple yet elegant hair look for the autumn/winter runway show. “Bottega Veneta this season is a super simple, super modern updo that every woman can do. I raked the hair through with my fingers to create a very low knot with the ends sticking out. A few of the girls have a beautiful pin on the back of their hair. The glamorous look has a real ease to it,” says Palau.
Hair trend 3: The Renaissance
for Vivienne Westwood Red Label at London Fashion Week
The Renaissance and 1400s were a rich source of inspiration for this season’s Vivienne Westwood Red Label collection. Influence was drawn heavily from ‘The Joker’, a strong presence in medieval and Renaissance history. The hair look drew inspiration from angels that had fallen from heaven “to create a formation of intellectuals,” reveals TONI&GUY global ambassador Mark Hampton. To get the look, tong a section of the hair, roll it up and pin to the head. Repeat this until the full head of hair is curled. Once hair has cooled, remove the sectioning clips. Next, wrap each section around your finger to create tight baby curls and re-pin intermittently. After pinning, slightly tease the hair to create more volume for a baby kiss-curl look.
Hair trend 4: Ponytail with a twist
for Hervé Léger at New York Fashion Week
It wouldn’t be Fashion Week without some take on the classic ponytail, and this year it was done in spectacular style by TRESemmé for the Hervé Léger show. Hair was given a wet finish, with the back styled in a combination of twists and cornrows. Describing the look, TRESemmé ambassador Orlando Pita says, “We wanted to make a statement and Lubov Azria’s punk-inspired collection was the perfect opportunity to do so. This style allows women to take a classic look and give it a grungy accent so that they can channel their inner tomboy.”
Nails trend 1: Natural nails
essie for Alexander Wang at New York Fashion Week
In line with its show location at Saint Bartholomew Church, nails were kept demure at Alexander Wang in a matte, pastel pink shade. Inspired by pink chalk, nail artist Michelle Saunders layered a sheer ivory cream polish over an opaque pale pink, followed by a matte top coat. Products used include essie’s Tuck It in My Tux, Fiji and Matte About You.
Nails trend 2: OTT nail art
for Libertine at New York Fashion Week
Leave it to CND to go above and beyond when it comes to creating something eye-catching and original for Fashion Week. This season saw the nail brand deliver designs inspired by Libertine designer Johnson Hartig’s muse of the season, a French sculptor, painter and filmmaker. Featuring modern graphic elements with sculptured vibrant and animated colour, the CND team hand-sculpted 180 eye patterns onto the nails, finished with 60 LED-lit Swarovski crystal pupils. An additional 180 pastel matte base nails featured fluffy adornments. The CND team spent over 200 hours in production for the show, with products used including the RETENTION+™ Liquid & Powder, SHELLAC™ Brand 14+ Day Nail Color and VINYLUX™ Weekly Polish.