6 Bold Beauty Lessons From New York Fashion Week
“We’re always talking about achieving the ultimate in something,” mused hair pro Guido Palau on the final day of New York Fashion Week. “But the ultimate is in individuality and expressing who you are. Anything goes now, do it your way. You can do all with this inclusive message of beauty!” And do it all they did—they being the designers, stylists, casting directors, makeup artists, and hairstylists—all week long. On the beauty front, the runways were replete with Euphoria-worthy makeup (Glitter tears! Face gems! Neon eyeshadow!) and hair statements that celebrated diversity while pushing technical achievement to new heights. Here, six above-neck lessons to take away from the first stretch of fashion month.
6 Bold Beauty Lessons From New York Fashion Week
There’s a Punk Statement for Everyone
Whether an insinuation or no-holds-barred presentation, the anti-establishment spirit of the punk movement was felt throughout the week. It began at Jeremy Scott, where makeup artist Kabuki imbued the Jem and the Holograms makeup with a punk-goth twist inspired by German pop singer Nina Hagen, then continued at Helmut Lang with small, square-shaped swoops of jet-black and neon liner that offered a pared-back take on Siouxsie Sioux’s signature wings. And ICYMI: Tom Ford took his show underground as a tribute to Luc Besson’s 1985 French drama Subway, serving up sooty smoky eyes and “electrified” New Wave updos crafted by hair pro Duffy.
6 Bold Beauty Lessons From New York Fashion Week
Crystal Adornments Are Equal Parts Fun and Decadent
An iconic look worn by Princess Stéphanie of Monaco in 1987 was the jumping-off point for Khaite’s sparkling Swarovski crystal hair pieces, which were strewn across “less clean and perfect” lengths by hairstylist Eugene Souleiman for a more modern effect. Delicate, light-catching gems found their way onto vivid eyes at Pyer Moss and Marc Jacobs, while at Area, designers Beckett Fogg and Piotrek Panszczyk demonstrated their diamanté craftsmanship all the way up to the face with sparkling, sculptural eyebrow, teardrop, and beard detail.
6 Bold Beauty Lessons From New York Fashion Week
The ’80s Are Back—Unabashedly
“The ’80s are funny,” said Palau backstage at Proenza Schouler as he created a trio of glossy, slicked-back hair looks to complement the show’s strong earrings and boxy blazers. “People cringe about it, but it had such great style to it.” Proving there’s a minimalist way to approach the decade, there were still plenty of distinctly ’80s-leaning looks, from Tory Burch’s colorful Lady Di–inspired hair combs to the retro-futuristic makeup at Tomo Koizumi, where makeup artist Pat McGrath drew inspiration from Grace Jones and David Bowie in his “Ashes to Ashes” era.
6 Bold Beauty Lessons From New York Fashion Week
Brushstrokes Belong Outside the Lines
The beauty of imperfection was seen most distinctly at eye-level. For Ulla Johnson, makeup artist Romy Soleimani dreamed up abstract pistachio lids, which she described as “painterly” and “not overly labored.” The same descriptors could be applied to the finger-pressed teal, red, navy, and silver encasings at Christian Siriano, as well as the yellow and hot pink smudges on the inner and outer corners at Jonathan Cohen. More finely-drawn, yet just as free-form-feeling strokes appeared at Anna Sui and Rosie Assoulin, with whimsical, intricately-traced eyeliner designs that were calling out to Hunter Schafer's Euphoria character Jules.
6 Bold Beauty Lessons From New York Fashion Week
When It Comes to Hair, Go Big or Go Home
The higher the conehead hair, the closer to heaven? This was among the many fantastical takeaways from Tomo Koizumi’s presentation starring Ariel Nicholson, who had her lengths cast in a ceiling-bound geometric shape. While that style required reinforcement, and lots of it, by way of interior foam scaffolding, at Christopher John Rogers, hairstylist Naeemah LaFond utilized the buoyancy of natural curls to mold an array of towering textured styles. And it was a similar story at Pyer Moss as Jon Reyman finessed Afros up and out in the spirit of Jimi Hendrix and Little Richard.
6 Bold Beauty Lessons From New York Fashion Week
The French Manicure Has Never Been More Exciting
Ah, the French manicure. A ’90s staple that's firmly staking its claim in the now, rest assured: It’s never been chicer or more imaginative. From Oscar de la Renta’s two-toned coral iteration to Christian Siriano’s shimmering, teal-tipped digits, there were many new takes on the classic pink-and-ivory combination. And for a color palette that works for fall, look no further than the Paintbox mossy greens and terracottas at Ulla Johnson, which framed the natural nail in the most unexpected—and subversive—of ways.
Originally Appeared on Vogue
