It is impossible to divorce the world of fashion from the art of makeup. Remember Galliano's Kabuki-faced sex robots and Marlene Dietrich inspired vixens? The rise of these looks owes much to cosmetic mavericks. Just as fabric, cut and construction define the female silhouette in clothing, coloring, contouring and lining frame the face. Makeup can be applied so that light dances upon one's visage, giving verve to the masterpiece of feminine beauty. Without rouge, blush and mascara the face is a blank canvas yearning to be transformed, much like a bud waiting to open.
The following is a chronicle of how LA Fashion Week 'blossomed,' thanks to the brush strokes of maestros such as Gregory Arlt and Beth Bender.
Fashionlines interviewed the contagiously energetic, irresistibly cute, MAC Pro Makeup artist Gregory Arlt backstage at the Louis Verdad show. While perfecting the eyeliner of a porcelain skinned model Gregory exclaimed, "This is a really modern approach to Forties glamour that we came up with. Louis is
incredible; he knows exactly what he wants, so collaborating with him was extraordinary. He wanted a strong woman with an edge, so we decided to go for eyeliner, fake lashes, a dash of green eye shadow and luscious red-orange matte lips." That said, Gregory did not neglect to add that this kind of an appearance is intended for a more theatrical impact. His advice to all women who would like to emulate the stunning images they see on the glossy pages of fashion magazines is to "take elements and try to replicate subtly without attempting to copy the entire look. Don't be afraid to make mistakes! Makeup brushes off. It is the ultimate disposable accessory."
Gregory has full confidence in the outstanding quality and unique nature of MAC cosmetics. To him, "What makes MAC different, at the beginning and the end of the day is the fact that the company makes products for professionals. Ultimately all trends start backstage. In other words MAC uses the best ingredients and pigments to create exceptional makeup that's way ahead of its time." Mr. Arlt revealed to Fashionlines that MAC's Moisture Feed skin hydrating product (eliminates dry skin ravished by elemental impacts) and the semi-matte Satin Foundation (gives a dewy, healthy sheen) are the two products he himself cannot live without. Don't they sound like two great additions to your Christmas wish list?
Academy Awards, Grammies, VH1 Fashion Awards shows… you name it and Beth Bender has done it. Celebrities and designers alike have counted on the precision of Beth's legendary liner for a long time, but now with the help of her magical stencils, anyone can replicate picture perfect cat or smoky eyes. While speaking with Fashionlines, the willowy beauty said that the one frustration she has consistently encountered when making up clients was the complaint that it was impossible to emulate professional flawlessness at home. Driven by the desire to put an end to this, Ms. Bender conceived a pair of stencils, perfected to fit every eye shape. The results are simply outstanding. By placing the soft plastic over your lid and swiping across it with the pony brush (it comes with the eye shadow kit), you too can have Maria Callas eyes. The process is indeed foolproof. As Beth proclaims, "Every person has their own way of becoming comfortable with my product. You just have to have fun and not be intimidated.
After all it's just makeup, so make it your own. For instance some people like a thin cat eye, while others like it thick. The fact of the matter is that there are no rules."
Beth's success speaks for itself. The work Ms. Bender and her team did for Esteban Corthazar's show (he is a nineteen year-old wunderkind from Miami) was dazzling. For similar results Fashionlines urges you to try this at home. Trust us: Stella McCartney, Giselle Bündchen and Kate Moss are doing it already.
The Smashbox makeup team took matters into their own skillful hands for As Four and Alvin Valley. The Valley girl was distinctive with smoky, smoldering eyes accentuated with black eye shadow and thick lower lash lining. The rest of the face was left natural to further emphasize the gaze. In contrast, the As Four femme was fresh, light and nude. The face was left dewy and pure, and only gold shimmer was used to highlight around the eyes.
Alongside a dreamy face, a perfect mane is a beauty necessity. Healthy, beautiful and silky cascades of hair no man can resist touching is a woman's ultimate dream. However, just like fashion trends hairstyles quickly become obsolete. Back Stage at As Four, the resident wizard of tresses Laurent Duforg was busy creating new fads that were sure to spread like wild fire. While securing a model's elaborate updo the hyper-energetic, charming Frenchman told Fashionlines that this year incredibly short pixie cuts, bangs and bold colors will reign supreme. "It is not about a few highlights. The red will go redder and the blond will go platinum," Monsignor Duforg exclaimed. Finally, be forewarned that there is a big return to hairspray. Apparently the 80s are not as passé as we once assumed.
John Keats wrote, "A thing of beauty is forever." If Keats is right, you have the power to grasp eternity by rediscovering your own splendor. So go ahead and do something a little different and just a tad risqué. Maybe paint on a cat eye or get a new cut, whatever it is that makes you feel striking, for in reality you are what you think you are. As legendary bombshell Sophia Loren opined, "Sex appeal is fifty percent what you've got and fifty percent what people think you've got."
