Before a fashion show designers have a ton of prep work to do, but most of it gets done just a few days before the big event. A week before the Duckie Brown show I went to a model fitting (lucky me!) and followed the designers, Steven Cox and Daniel Silver, every step leading up to their Spring 2011 runway show. Check out the behind the scenes video I did on behalf of Conair after the jump!
Outside the Tents: NYFW Street Style
Video: Backstage with the Glam Squads During NYFW
Runway Review and Interview: Naeem Khan
The Naeem Khan Spring/Summer 2012 show was by far my favorite show of the season. The show opened to a grungy rock and roll version of Marilyn Manson's, Sweet Dreams, which was a beautiful contrast against the glamour of the high fashion gowns that owned the mirrored runway. The energy was electric and the audience, left in awe.
Red beaded gowns with intricate detail, black tulle dresses, printed floral ball gowns, lace off the shoulder gowns, high slit skirts with ruffles, low back beaded tops and an ostrich feather skirt were all part of the collection.
After the show I had the opportunity to speak with Naeem Khan in the American Express Skybox. "With my collection, it's all about the emotional connection," he said. "The moment a woman feels glamourous in my clothes is the connection."
His inspiration for the collection was modernizing Old Hollywood and adding some touches of Spain. Even though a ton of work goes into each collection, Khan was working on this for two and a half months and it took ten days to make. He worked closely at his privately owned factory in India with 45 seamstresses, 10 craftsmen, 10 embroiderers and then sent the fabrics and designs about 600 people in the factory to make the actual creations before they were sent to the US and finalized.
Khan was anxious to tell me and other Amex card holders about his collection and I was excited to learn about the making because I hope one day he makes my wedding dress!
*This post is sponsored by American Express, but my thoughts and actions are honest.
Runway Review: Wayne
Tonight I ventured over to Milk Made Studios to catch the Wayne show at 7pm. Typically, shows start late, but this one didn't start until about 7:45 and after a long day running around between shows in 80 degree weather, I was a bit cranky. That is until I saw the first look – of course.
A silk white tuxedo dress effortlessly glided down the runway, (which the designer, Wayne Lee, told me was her favorite look of the show), and all of a sudden I was in a complete trance. This season, Lee collaborated with Benjamin Degen, a painter she always admired to created a blue and white rope print seen on various cotton and silk dresses and tops. Black, leather bomber jackets complimented girly flowy skirts and the color palette used was black, white, sand, bone and sky blue.
My favorite part was that the hair was roughly texturized and mattified into a series of braids that created an updo that created a nice contrast against the beautiful silks and gentle cottons.
After the show I was able to speak with Lee, who is about to have a baby! When asked what was next for her she commented, "Learning how to integrate my personal life into my work life and constantly evolving and expanding my collection." A children's collection in the future? Probable.
*This post is sponsored by American Express, but my thoughts and actions are all honest.
Betsey Johnson's Backstage Beauty Bonanza
I had been told earlier by Jeannine that backstage at Betsey Johnson was one big party and I was not disappointed. The day finally came for me to cover her show and I was ecstatic! There were colorful signs everywhere made by the designer herself, champagne flowed and mini cupcakes by Baked By Melissa were abundant. Models and makeup artists alike were almost too busy dancing to the bumping music to get ready for the show. Somehow they managed.
Sarah Lucero was the lead on makeup for Stila Cosmetics and the watchword for the show was "glam" (sexy and bombshell were also thrown around). The skin was kept very simple using Stila's Perfect + Correct, Brighten + Correct, and Sheer Pressed Powder. The cheeks were contoured with Stila's Sun Bronzing Powder to create some vavavavoom! The eyes were kept fairly simple with a bold, black cat eye (which stayed put thanks to Stila's Prime Pot and Smudge Pot in black) and loooong jet black lashes. (Sarah's tip for those at home is to apply the mascara and then make the cat eye.)
The main focus of the look were the lips; a bright, glossy, neon pink made with "giggle" luxe lip gloss. The finished product was definitely bold without being too much.
The hair, by Peter Gray for Cutler Redken Salon, was based off of Jerry Hall and Betsey's theme for the evening; "tits and ass". To make the hair as curvy as the motif, Peter used Redken's Number 12 Versatile Working Spray and curled 3/4 of the head all over. The curls were held with pins and sprayed again (I felt the top of the curls, there was a lot of shelac there). The other side of the head was a deep, sleek side part that went all the way from the front of the head to the back of the ear. After the curls were set, using Redken number 7 full frame protective volumizing mousse, the curls were brushed out into gorgeous waves. The finished look was as opulent as the collection.
The most intricate part of the show was definitely Nonie Creme, of Butter Londons nails. They were insane! Nonie said her inspiration came from Betsey's let loose and rock on attitude. The nails were a reverse half moon. She started by painting the nails with Union Jack Black and filing the tips to points. Then putting on a "stair step holographic glitter tip" (If you're confused, don't worry so was I. The stair step bit means that the fake nail sat above the real nail so it was on two different planes). Then, "Of course since it's Betsey," said Nonie. There was a diamante applique on each of the nails at the curve. The most interesting part of the already amazing and innovative manicure were the pinkies. Each pinky was pierced with a baby black safety pin. The safety pin was unbelievably cool and has made me stop biting my nails so I can grow them long enough to get them! Nonie's at home tip for this crazy manicure is to lay all of the fake nails on the table and paint them before you apply them. That way you can put nail polish everywhere and not worry about messing up your manicure.
Betsey's backstage party was amazing and I never wanted to leave. When I finally did, rocking a pink, glittery hair extension that smelled like Betsey's new fragrance, "Too Too", I danced around my room in my favorite Betsey dress listening to '80's music. A perfect ending to a perfect day.
Betsey keeping it cool with her own hair extension!
Runway Review: Ohne Titel, I'm Obsessed
Today at Milk Made Studios I discovered Ohne Titel, which by far was one of my favorite shows of the season to date. Anna Wintour watched without her sunglasses and occasionally gave nods of approval and I sat front row directly across from Anna Dello Russo. The collection was full of strong colors and graphics, all together a feeling of optimism.
I arrived early for the show and hung out at the American Express VIP Lounge where Kenneth Tepper of the Ric Pipino Salon threw some curls in my hair. I swear it was the curls that landed me the front row seat!
Pistachio and buff hues were complimented with bright red, cobalt blue and yellow colors and each look that came out was more jaw dropping than the next. This was the first season the designers, Alexa and Flora showcased prints and really embraced evening wear. My favorite look was a red gown with a winged back worn with red gladiator flats.
Post show I was able to talk to the designers about the collection and they were super excited that they had such a good turn out. Two words: Anna Wintour. "We're going to Paris next," they exclaimed. Turns out, this fashion show was just a preview of what's to come. Vogue and the CFDA is sponsoring Ohne Titel and sending them to Paris for the months of September and October to showcase their collection. Lucky ladies!
*This post is sponsored by American Express, but all of my thoughts and actions are honest.
Spring in Full Bloom at Tracy Reese
The Tracy Reese collection for Spring/Summer 2012 is full of flowers, pastels, and ladylike skirts. The nails, hair, and makeup enhanced the clothes, giving it all a polished look.
The makeup was done by Mally Roncal, the creator of Mally Beauty. She wanted the look to be fresh and youthful (which worked great with Tracy's pretty play suits). She gave all the model's skin a satin finish, "No translucent powder!" she repeated twice. She then set the skin with Mally's Face Defender. Keeping the brows strong, Roncal went kept to a natural arch. She made the eyes very special. She described the style of eyeliner as that customized style that the coolest girl in class could pull off, but you couldn't, thin with a small kick up at the end. (Everyone nodded in agreement and nostalgia when she said that). The lids were kept naked and the lashes long and spiky. The blush, in 24/7 medium, was placed high and strong, well above the apples of the cheeks. The lips were the most interesting of the entire look. They were very glossy and in two different shades. The top lip was a color called Life is Fuchsia pink and the bottom was Be a Peach orange. The models were instructed very carefully not to roll their lips, but to marry the two colors by going "MA MA MA". Mally's advice to those wanting to try the look at home, "Just go for it!"
The hair was by guru, Jeanie Syfu for TRESsemme. To go with the floral print of the clothes, Jeanie created a soft, romantic hairstyle that showcased the best of the '30's, '40's, and '50's. She created a windblown effect by adding texture and waves to the models hair using TRESsemme's 24 Hour Body Mousse and lots of heat. The hair was first rolled into sections and clipped the the head, then ironed. Finally it was finger combed out and finished with high heat. TRESsemme's Curl Activator Spray was used to help with the heat styling so that the final product was touchable, not fried.
The front of the hair was absolutely gorgeous! There were one to two rolls off center on the top. Lucky for us, the rolls are easily created! Using a chopstick, roll the hair from the end of the hair to as high as you want and pin. Jeanie emphatically stated after giving me the directions to "tease the hair first." Got it Jeanie!
The nails for this show were particularly special. Jin Soon Choi for Sally Hansen did the manicures, but it was Miss Tracy Reese herself that designed the color. The colors were inspired by "pure delight." Tracy created a collection of seven different polishes for Sally Hansen that will be available in April! The color used for the show was "Temptation," a beautiful pink that is light enough for Spring and will be sure to stand out on your fingers. The best part is that the line is part of Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure, an all in one formula that has the base and top coat in it. As a nail polish junkie and a lover of all things Sally Hansen, I can't wait till April to get my hands on the collection!
Tracy couldn't wait until April either and got a "Temptation" manicure backstage.
Walking Mannequins at Custo Barcelona
Models are sort of like live mannequins and Custo Barcelona took that literally! As he had models in minimal makeup and über glossy side ponytails for his Spring 2012 show. Maybelline Makeup Artist Gato wanted to create a modernistic appeal with a full eyebrows, porcelain skin and juicy coral lips. Quick tip from the pro himself, use an eyebrow pencil to fill in the gaps between hair following the shape of the brow and comb with brush in an upward direction for perfect brows.
Neil Moodie for Bumble and Bumble wanted to create a ponytail with an edge. By flat ironing the hair pin straight and tying it at the nape to create a tom-boyish appeal when looking at the models straight on. Literally, painting on the high gloss to almost look like plastic off the reflection of the lights. However, the ponytail remained dry forming two different textures. To take this runway look to the streets just use a shine spray like Bumble and Bumble's Shine on and on Finishing Spray. Don't forget, start at the ends and work your way up to the roots or else it will just make hair look oily instead of glossy.
Simon Spurr Menswear Runway Report, Oh and A Chuck Bass Sighting
My first time at Milk Made Studios this season was for the Simon Spurr show, which I was really excited about seeing because there's nothing better than seeing a man in a sophisticatedly tailored.
Before the show I was sitting in the American Express VIP Lounge and in walks none other than Ed Westwick. Yes, Gossip Girl's own, Chuck Bass. We were just sitting there alone for a little until his escort for the show (a gorgeous tall brunette with a sequin jacket and mini skirt who worked at MADE) joined him. He sat front row at the show looking quite dapper appropriately dressed in a Simon Spurr suit, but I was completely thrown off by his two pinky rings. Yes, two. One on each pinky and they were huge!
Well tailored three piece suits, pin stripes, quilted leather jackets and well groomed male models graced the runway. After the show I got to speak with the designer for a quick second. He explained the collection was an extension of fall, reinforcing that the brand is known for sharp, precise tailoring, but also taking a modern slant on country dressing.
Check out my video interview with him:
ADAM Showcases Wearable Runway Looks for Spring
One of my favorite things about ADAM is that everything I saw on the runway today will be made and sold. Most designers use the catwalk as their playground creating high fashion looks to showcase their creativity, which are later used as inspiration for the next season. Adam Lippes prides himself on creating collections that the everyday woman can actually wear. I attended the show in the American Express Skybox with my friend Sydne Summer of ThinkThruFashion and had a meet and greet with the designer afterwards.
"I'm inspired by the High Line in the Meat Packing District," Lippes commented. "I love watching how people who walk around the runway in the sky dress and wanted to make clothes for them"
I love how he calls the High Line a runway in the sky. After all, the sidewalk is our catwalk. Right? Silk dresses in ivory, lavender and neon pink were followed by black and white polka dot dresses and military inspired embroidered jackets.
"There's nothing more refined than when a woman is comfortable in a dress she can afford," Lippe stated.
Watching the show from the skybox today and looking down onto the runway watching the crowd snap pictures and look at the clothing in awe as models walked by them made me take a step back for a minute and realize how lucky I am to be a fashion insider. Everyday I'm reminded in one way or another and at this moment, I really appreciated the fashion and beauty industry and my job. Normally, I watch the shows from inside the tents and looking down at those people, it's such an honor.
*This post is sponsored by American Express, but my opinions are honest.
Backstage Erin Fetherston Was A Wonderland
Though a product of the '90's, I've always loved the style of the sixties. The voluminous hair, the bright colors, and all of the eye makeup! When I stepped backstage at Erin Fetherston, I knew I had walked into a personal fairytale land. Esther Langham for Alterna on Beauty.com created four hair looks to complement Erin's Spring/Summer collection; a french twist, low side ponytail, low middle ponytail, and braided top knot.
All of these styles started with creating volume by backcombing the hair and spraying with Alterna's Bamboo Volume Uplifting Root Blast. Then it was tousled to give it a natural feel. To help style, Esther used Alterna's Bamboo Volume Weightless Whipped Mousse. Each look was finished with Alterna's Bamboo Smooth Anti- Humidity Hair Spray.
Though each look was beautiful, the one I know I will be copying is the ponytail. Start by backcombing the hair and creating a two inch center part. Secure the ponytail at the nape of the neck and wrap a section of hair around the elastic. In minutes you've got the perfect Sharon Tate style hair.
The nails by Nonie Creme of Butter London were super special. Nonie and Erin collaborated to create a custom color for the collection. They blended "Tea with the Queen" and "Pink Ribbon" to create a subdued and simple manicure.
The make up by James Kaliardos for MAC was absolutely stunning. Mia Farrow inspired, the look was youthful and whimsical. The skin was left bare except for Match Master Foundation and Peach blush on the cheeks. The eyes and the lips stole the show with their dramatic finishes. The eyes, like the nail polish, were custom made for Erin's show. The false lashes were cut on the ends and longer in the center (Like Mia Farrow's haircut in Rosemary's Baby for the eyes!). The lashes were then coated in many layers of Opulash Black Mascara. For the shadow and liner, James used Blacktrack as a base with Carbon on top to create a very dark look. To highlight and make the eyes bigger, he put SuperSlick in silver under the eyes and smudged Luna in the corners. To really emphasize the fun, bright style, James finished with lipstick in either Flamingo (light pink), orange, or dark pink.
Makeup artist Caitlin Callahan's tip to try the look at home (which I did as soon as I got back to my apartment) was to do the smoky eye in just one color as opposed to the tri-color most of us are used to. Make sure the lashes are curled and use extra mascara in the center. Most importantly, don't shy away from the bright lip! Erin showed us that it IS possible to do a smoky eye with a lipstick that isn't nude!
^Even Erin had her makeup done like the models!
Helmut Lang Creates A Head Banging Party
As soon as I stepped into Pier 57 for the Helmut Lang show, I knew I was in for a treat. The studio looks like an abandoned warehouse and Helmut Lang took full advantage of it. There was loud music blaring before any of the guests walked in to set the tone for the day. The hair and makeup played right into the very cool atmosphere.
The makeup look was thought up by Lisa Butler and executed by Cory Bishop, both from Temptu. Their watchwords were "sporty chic." The duo wanted to create a face forward aggressive girl with attitude. To make the brow and eyes strong, they airbrushed the girls from the eyebrow (blonde) to the eyelid (brown).
They finished the eyes with black, waterproof mascara. To keep up with the active feel, they kept the face and lips dewy with sunset glow on the cheeks and a hydrating lip balm in VIP.
Paul Hanlon, the adorable hair genius for TIGI, wanted to invent a look for the girl who had spent the whole night headbanging at a concert. Definitely a little bit sweaty and greasy with plenty of spunk. The finished product was an unkempt, deconstructed knot. He began by spraying the whole head with TIGI Session Series' Salt Spray to take out the softness. Then, section by section, he ran Session Series' Styling Cream through the hair (an entire bottle per girl!). The hair was then fingercombed back into a messy ponytail. From there it was split into two big sections and tied like a shoelace. Right before the girls step foot on the runway, they got sprayed with Session Series' shine spray.
Definitely a fun look to try, especially on humid days when my hair won't do anything right. Word to the wise; to avoid looking dirty instead of cool, skip the styling cream and use mousse instead. It creates the same look without being too greasy.
Bohemian Sophistication Backstage at Jill Stuart
Jill Stuart is known for her girly, youthful clothes and this season is no exception. The overall look was described as "bohemian sophistication" by Lead Makeup Artist, Diane Kendal for MAC. She wanted to add to the softness of the clothes by creating a simple, yet sexy face for the girls. Using some Jill Stuart products and some MAC products, Diane began by keeping the skin matte except for a pink/peach blush to give it a warm glow. She played up the eyes by smudging black kohl on the inside of the lid. To keep the kohl from being too harsh, she used black cream liner to soften and MAC brown grease paint to contour. The lips were kept simple, yet colorful without competing with the eyes. First, foundation was applied to them and then a hint of MAC's eye pigment powder in pink and orange. This look is so easy to recreate and perfect for going out to dinner! Just be careful not to overdue it on the lips or you'll end up looking more Bozo than beautiful.
To play up the easy, flirty look, Odile Gilbert for Kerastase created a hairstyle that screamed Spring. She started by parting the hair in a deep side part and scrunching the with Kerastase Lotion Densitive using a blowdryer to create texturized waves. To execute a coy, innocent feel, she created the illusion of bangs. (It looks way more difficult than it is, just bring hair to the front, twist to the side and hold with bobby pins.)
To make the style really stand out, every girl had a braid under the hair that popped out on the runway. The hair was held in place with Kerastase's double force hairspray.
I loved this look because it is so simple to do at home, and works on every hair type. Even those with painfully thin hair can make it work by using Kerastase's Mousse Volume Active.
Band of Outsiders Pulls Inspiration from A '70's Film
As I checking out the backstage scene for Band of Outsiders all I kept hearing was "Are you a boy or a girl?" Huh?? Dick Page, Artistic Director for Shisheido, quickly clarified how there was a 'girl' girl and 'boy' girl look for their shows. The girl is feminine and lady like and the boy is androgynous and tougher. Inspired by the movie Picnic at Hanging Rock, Page wanted to showcase the natural looking beauty from the film.
The 'girl' girls makeup were dreamy with flushed cheeks using Shisheido's Accentuating Color Stick in S3 and nothing on the eyes. The 'boy' girls had the rosy cheeks but made the look edgier with black eyeliner (nothing like a good eyeliner). Page used a lip brush to apply the cream eyeliner inside the eye since it's not too pointy and can pick up a lot of color.
Didier Maliage, Lead Stylist for Aveda, wanted to recreate the romantic looks from the movie where the 'girl' would have undone, loose waves just on the ends. No rollers necessary, all that was needed was the Aveda Brilliant Retexturing Gel applied throughout the hair, then rolled into two buns on the sides of the head (think Princess Leia) and let the gel dry. It's as simple as that. For the 'boy', with a slight side part and some loose strands, the hair was pulled back and held together in a low messy bun. To create that texture once the hair was up Maliage lightly backcombed to get that natural, messy look. Topped off with a fedora and the look was complete.
Vivienne Tam Creates A Japanese Garden with Retro Twist
Clean, natural hair and make up complemented the Japanese garden inspiration backstage at Vivienne Tam. Lead Maybelline Makeup Artist, Andy Koh, incorporated a modern twist to 70's retro style by using metallic tones. Koh shared how foundation was key for a fresh face using two different shades - a lighter shade for the t-zone and darker shade around the face for a structured look. For the eyes instead of using a harsh line with an eyeliner like you would see on Twiggy in the 70's, Koh used a copper tone for that line on top of the gold base. Another modern twist was to have natural looking lashes, although he used Maybelline's Falsies mascara, which builds thick lashes, he wiped the brush to remove the excess mascara and lightly applied to the eyelashes for a more natural effect.
Simple, organic and undone were the words used to describe the hair by Lead Stylist, Leon Gorman for Redken. A deep side part and low ponytail twisted into a quick messy bun, held up by a combination of bobby and french pins, topped off by a light spritz of Redken Fashion Work 12 was all it took. Gorman also shared for those with greasy hair to use dry shampoo to build that texture.
For a quick manicure, Incoco provided grey nail strips that were applied to the nails with no drying time needed. It probably took as long as reading this sentence to apply them to the nails.
Calling out teens from the 90's - remember 7th Heaven? Well, talk about an awesome flashback Beverly Mitchell, currently starring on The Secret Life of the American Teenager, dropped by backstage and I had to ask her what was the essential beauty item in her kit. Her answer: blotting papers! A total lifesaver. Trust, I had to use a couple today with this humidity.
Viva La Mexico at Mara Hoffman
Bold, bright prints were all the rage backstage at Mara Hoffman and the inspiration –Mexico. To compliment these eye-catching patterns Nick Irwin, TIGI's European Creative Director, incorporated colorful material by weaving it into high top knots that elongated the models faces. To make it runway worthy, he added texture with crimped synthetic hair, braided with the patterns weaved right in.
To create the look at home, place your hair in a high ponytail wrapping a piece of ribbon into it and braid it using the ribbon as the third strand. Wrap the braid into a top knot and voila! For hold you can use Work It Hairspray from the Catwalk Sessions Series by TIGI.
For the makeup, Lead Makeup Artist Lottie for Make Up For Ever wanted to showcase strong powerful women, in this case Mexican mothers. By focusing on the contours of the face and creating strong brows like artist, Frieda Kahlo (sans the unibrow). Lottie showcases the contours by brushing Make Up For Ever Shadows in #76 and #98 in the hollows on the cheeks in a circular motion moving outward. She highlighted and illuminate complexion using Star Powder in #902 and #974. Lottie shared a great tip for girls at home, to create depth and a sculpted wet look you can use Vaseline on your eyes by dabbing on the eyelids up to the brow. Can't wait to try it at home!
Runway Review: Tadashi Shoji Spring/Summer 2012
"My inspiration came from a Dutch photographers picture of tulips," Shoji explains in the American Express Skybox after his Spring/Summer 2012 show. "Each tulip was different, so I began this collection by hand painting silk linen fabrics so they all had unique ombre effects to them."
Normally during New York Fashion Week I watch shows like other editors, but this season some of the shows I'm watching are going to be in the American Express Skybox with other fancy American Express card holders. Besides a birds eye view, champagne, coffee, salad and light fare was served as about 30 card holders mingled and had the experience of NYFW insiders.
The collection was very feminine and hair and makeup was kept natural to compliment the color palette used throughout. Magnolia and rosebud were two shades that really stood out against the crisp, white runway. Celebs in attendance included True Blood's, Carrie Preston and singer, JoJo.
After the show, two special guests were escorted into the skybox. First, Gail Simmons of Top Chef spoke about her love for Tadashi Shoji and how she loves wearing his his jewel toned dresses on the show because they pop on TV. Then, Shoji came in to celebrate the success of his show and answered card members questions. His closing remarks, "Buy my dresses! All of you American Express card members can afford 10 of them!"
*This post is sponsored by American Express, but the content and opinions shared are my own.
