Off the Catwalk
Published
01st Apr 2012
Straight from the latest Fashion Weeks the professionals behind the scenes show you how to recreate the autumn/winter 2012 looks for make-up, nails and skin.
MAKE-UP
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While the New York shows sported a new take on grunge with dark brown lips and coloured smoky eyes, the staple crimson pout remained a stalwart on the London Fashion Week catwalks, but bold pink lips were seen at Moshino and Clements Ribeiro. The grunge theme, however, was reflected in the eye make-up at London, with classic eyeliner given a twist for AW12. Structured clothing went well with the feline eyeliner flicks as demonstrated by the make-up artists for Erdem and Mary Katrantzou. Marc Jacobs offered a dark shadowed look for eyes; Versace focused on heavy eyeliner and graphic black and white eyes were seen at Giorgio Armani.
Hollow eyes were noticeable at Marni, where a brown shaded eye shadow made the models look fatigued.
Vivienne Westwood-esque influences cluttered the catwalks including make-up artist Liz Martins’s creation for Rodnik Band. She channelled her inspiration from Amsterdam tattoo painter Angelique Houtkamp to create a gothic geisha theme. Black charcoaled eyes, crimson red cheeks, her signature red lips and of course her own brand of lashes completed the look.
Martins of course thinks lashes are a staple in anyone’s make-up kit and believes there will be an influx of lashes to cater for the older market next season. “I think lashes will go more natural, after all, older clients don’t want to look like mutton dressed as lamb”.
Martins noticed that while lashes are starting to have a broken, billowy effect to look more natural, new textures including metallics on lashes featured on the catwalks.
Get the look... Gothic Geisha
Liz Martins’s look for The Rodnik Band presentation had to fit in with the designer’s regal parody and overall British theme. The make-up, she says, takes a 1920s broken doll style that could fit in a Tim Burton film.
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1. Start with the base. Use a mineral powder to keep the skin matte. |
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2. For the eyes, use a charcoal black underneath the lower lash line and right up to the eyebrow (to tone the look down, just cover the eyelid). |
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3. Over the top of the eye shadow use a petrol blue shimmer to create a glistening effect. Wipe away the excess with a cotton bud. Brush on mascara and place Liz Martins Enhance lashes on to the top lash. |
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4. Use a bright red such as Mac Fever Red on the cheeks and crimson red on the lips. |
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5. Finish with Mac Tarmac Eyeglass to give a wet looking eyelid and lash. |
NAILS
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No catwalk look is now complete without a striking set of nails. Animated nails were seen backstage at PPQ with 3D glitter effects adorned with pop art black hearts at the tip. At Vivienne Westwood Red Label, the models were rocking tattoo symbols on their talons.
Matching the make-up with the nails is on trend and was seen at Donna Karan where Deborah Lippmann created nude nails with red tips to match the eye make-up. Likewise, over at The Rodnik Band presentation Gellux expert Michelle Class developed a striking red nail framed with black, which matched Liz Martins’s charcoaled eyes and rouge cheeks. Clements Ribeiro’s choice of nails also teamed nicely with the bright “pop” lipstick.
Class was surprised by the amount of colours, including corals and pinks, seen on nails at the shows. She says: “It is refreshing for the autumn/winter season, which in recent years has become synonymous with ‘greiges’ and nudes.”
However, the caramel hues still remained, as OPI techs Lola Mussa, Karen Embury and Lee Moore used “San Tan Antonio” on toes and “Samoan Sand” on fingers for Marios Schwab.
Blue talons are going to be huge for the autumn season, according to OPI, which has seen not just one shade but every shade of blue from teal to navy fashioned on the catwalks.
OPI nail techs Lola Mussa and Karen Embury were back stage to help the Ribeiro team, who chose a deep royal blue shade called “Dating A Royal”.
Get the look... French Framed
Gellux nail expert Michelle Class spotted pop art and dimensional nails on the catwalks and this trend is in keeping with the French Framed nail look she devised for The Rodnik Band presentation. Class used Gellux polishes in Red Devil and Black Onyx to create this look.
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1. Prepare and shape the nails an apply Gellux Fast Bond to each nail. Then add a thin coat of Clear Base and cure for 30 seconds under an LED lamp (or two minutes on a 36W UV lamp). 2. Add Red Devil to each nail, capping under the free edge of the nail and curing for 30 seconds. Apply a second coat and cure for a bolder colour. |
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3. Use a fine detailer brush to outline the nail around the free edge, side and cuticle with Gellux Black Onyx to create the frame and cure. Repeat to achieve a darker framed colour and cure. |
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4. Finish with a coat of Gellux Top Gel and cure for 30 seconds. |
SKIN
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Having impeccably well-maintained skin is definitely the way to go next season, as displayed on the AW12 catwalks, which demonstrated that tanning is not just for the summer season. Tanning specialist James Read has seen glistening, glowing skin become a staple through all the seasons and he believes there’s no better way to achieve this than by tan, moisturiser and skin finishing products.
He has seen matte skin envelop the catwalks but again with a twist. “It’s all about making skin look well, so matte skin still reflects the light,” says Read. Dewy natural skin was seen at Dolce and Gabbana and a more ethereal sheen was on display at Missoni.
Michael Kors, on the other hand, decided to showcase a reddened, sunburnt-looking glow for his models.
For Read, AW12 is all about luxurious skin, which is almost cinematic. Working on the PPQ show with Lena White’s new tanning brand LDN: Skins, Read created a porcelain 1940s/1950s tan that plays tricks with the light.
“Hollywood shimmer is definitely on trend for the autumn season. This tan in particular works with any tone of skin and brings out the tan that you already have,” he says.
Get the look... Hollywood Sheen
Read wanted to create luxury skin with an art deco feel – channelling the likes of Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra. He said: “It’s all about the pin-up tan as people aspire to look like Hollywood actresses.”
This look, therefore, has a porcelain glow with a hint of colour, which makes the client look really well without looking like they have had a spray tan.
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1. Make sure you prepare the skin by exfoliating first. |
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2. To create the Hollywood sheen, layer on a matte tan with moisturiser. The LDN: Skins lotion works particularly well as the lotion goes on like a foundation, creating a matte look, but shimmers when held up to the light. |
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3. Finish off the skin with a highlighter on the collarbone, arms and fronts of the legs. PB |
