Collina Strada's FW23 Beauty Took Glam on a "Zoomorphic" Fantasy Ride
Collina Strada invited viewers to take a step on the animalistic side for its Fall/Winter 2023 presentation where experimental hair and makeup were all at an all-time high. To say that the experience was similar to an ethereal beauty zoo is an understatement.
Admittedly in the fashion and beauty industry, we often take ourselves too seriously and fail to venture out of the box when ideating and curating presentations. However, for Collina Strada, this was certainly not the issue. With the help of famed makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench, the ultimate master at experimental glam, she was able to take the "Animorphs" theme and turn regular models into hybrid animal-humans in the most glamorous yet aesthetically grunge way. While backstage, I observed that models who had spent hours having prosthetic animal features glued to their faces were in high spirits before taking to the runway — which genuinely speaks to the childlike and curious state of the brand itself.
To match the energy of Ffrench's bold makeup looks, hairstylist Evanie Frausto of Bumble and Bumble undertook three head-turning hairstyles for the show. "Lived-in" natural states of hair, netted wigs and colored tonal hair were the right choice for the occasion. As Collina Strada is serious about being an eco-friendly brand, keeping the hair as organic as possible only made sense. The handful of models that wore wigs had the privilege of Frausto hand-dying them to chic, pastel colors — which is labor-intensive in itself.
Between Ffrench and Frausto, they were able to capture the vision of Collina Strada's zoomorphic fantasy. Catch more snaps ahead.
