Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: CND for Libertine, Addiction Tokyo for Diotima, Oribe for Wiederhoft, MAC Cosmetics for Luar
We’re always in for a surprise during New York Fashion Week. This season, it was Madonna at Luar; other times, it’s the clothes or fascinating jewelry. While many designers lean into minimal makeup and let their clothes be the center of attention, a handful of designers do quite the opposite; they push the boundaries of beauty on the runway, whether it be a dramatic makeup look or doing unconventional hairstyles. Here are some brands that had great beauty moments this season.
From left: Photo: Addiction Tokyo for DiotimaPhoto: Addiction Tokyo for Diotima
From top: Photo: Addiction Tokyo for DiotimaPhoto: Addiction Tokyo for Diotima
At Diotima, the brand’s beloved knitwear transported the audience to the Caribbean, but the dramatic eyelashes brought a fantasylike twist to the presentation. The eyelashes with red and white accents were done by Addiction Tokyo’s creative director, Kanaoko Takase, known for her often unconventional looks. “The collection is a reconstructed memory of summer that features vibrant pops of color, and so we wanted the makeup look to complement this,” Takase said. The collection, which “emerged from a vivid Caribbean dream,” featured bold red crocheted pieces, crystal mesh gowns and knits to mimic the movement of algae commonly found in the ocean waters. The intentionality of the vibrant, colorful, and dramatic eyelashes was an extension of the storytelling throughout the collection.
Photo: MAC Cosmetics for Luar
Luar’s Raul Lopez is not a designer who will ever send models down a runway with minimal beauty. Lopez’s beauty inspiration for this show was “drag meets punk meets trade,” three very different vibes, but ideally a face with a deep contour, bold brows (the brows were made from a fabric in the collection), defined cheekbones, and a standout lip. The most dramatic look of them all, done by MAC artist Yadim Carranza, was an animal-print eye done with special appliqués. In addition to the print, the eyes were complete with MAC Pure white paintstick, winged eyeliner, and waterline eyeliner to create the illusion of a bigger-looking eye. The striking eyelashes completed the ultimate Luar look — distinctively glam with a punk edge and definitely worthy of re-creation.
From left: Photo: Oribe for WiederhoftPhoto: Oribe for Wiederhoft
From top: Photo: Oribe for WiederhoftPhoto: Oribe for Wiederhoft
Wiederhoeft shows can have a thrillerlike vibe, a juxtaposition to the clothes, often corsets cinched to the body in every effort to “just be beautiful,” designer Jackson Wiederhoeft said in an interview. The beauty, though, leaned more toward the dark, thriller vibes. The inspiration came from the darkness of the 1947 film Black Narcissus; Oribe artist Kien Hoang decided to create “slept-in” hairstyles reminiscent of an exhausting night out, a different twist on messy hair. The hair was natural curls for some, flicked-back ponytails for others, or just combed-through messy hair finished off with an Aprés Beach Wave and Shine Spray for a flawless “I woke up like this” look. For the runway, great. IRL? Probably not the best to rock lived-in hair as a style.
Photo: Jennifer Graylock/ CND for Libertine
Libertine’s collection was shown at the Elizabeth Street Garden in a protestlike themed show with an initiative to save the garden. Manicurist Julie Kandalec wanted to home in on that initiative even more and bring it to the show’s beauty. She created a silver chrome nail design with a hint of yellow peeking through, what she envisions as the sun transitioning from day to night. “The yellow moon at night, or the sun, symbolizes the constant light that shines over the garden — a guiding force of hope and growth. This vision deeply inspired our design,” Kandalec said.
Photo: Courtesy of Alaia
For its New York debut at the Guggenheim Museum, Alaïa’s show was the epitome of simplicity for beauty with an emphasis on geometric shapes for the clothing. Because of the fabric wraps and different sculptures and shapes that walked the runway, there was one hairstyle that was fitting: the sleekest slickback you’ll ever see, drawing all attention to the beauty of the clothing. Here, simplicity and minimalism made sense and felt right.
