Oh, How Bittersweet! Last Day of Fashion Week...

I am forever in eternal bliss attending fashion week this week and having the opportunity to experience a totally different world from what I am used to. I think I've expressed this before that I love all things fashion and it was great to see how shows are prepared first hand. I've met so many people (Jay McCarroll, Nigel Barker, Martha Stewart, Andre Leon Talley, Vanessa, Angela and Russy Simmons, Kelly Osborn, Jay Alexander...to name a few), and made great connections and I think going to Fashion Week not only opened my eyes on how designers and their team prepare shows, but also opened the door for me to pursue my career in fashion. I am eternally grateful.

Thanks Ana, and Heather for being great point-people and making me feel comfortable in a mound of chaos called "Call-time", thanks to Guido, John Ruidant, Hanan, Yannick, Italo, Odile Gilbert, Christian McCulloch, Pat McGrath, Fulvia, Polly Osmond, Ayako, David Cruz, Diane, Rodney Cutler, Nancy Morena for being such great participants when asked, "So...what's the look?"

All-in-all I had a great time, brushed up on my interviewing skills, and grew tougher skin--Fashion Week is definitely not for the weak and/or "inassertive".

PHI Fie Foe Fum: Effortless Beauty

PHI's backstage area was really cool. The show actually took place at the showroom, so I was able to see where a lot of their garments are made. There were sewing machines and mannequins everywhere--I don't know if I'm weird or what, but I love mannequins! I think they're really cool!


I had an opportunity to speak with Guido, Creative Consultant for Redken, to get the inside scoop of the hair for the show. It is a very simple blow-dried style, that looks very natural. Guido first dampens the hair and applies blown away 09, which will be available in November, to the hair and then blow dries. "You don't always have to go crazy with you hair to make a statement," Guido says. Duly noted.


Make-up coincided with hair. "It's more about the skin," says lead make-up artist, Diane Kendal, "I want to enhance their [models] natural beauty." She gave the skin a "dewy" look, and applied a soft brown contour eyeshadow to the lid. A thin black line to the eye to look like the model's not wearing any make-up, a tad blush and the look is complete!


The trend I've noticed for hair and make-up these past couple of shows is very simple, and clean. Spring and Summer is all about light-weight make-up and fabrics. No dark eyes, lips and definitely no bright red cheeks. A little shimmer, and gloss is perfect for Spring '09!

Whimsical Beauty Part III

Gottex's 2009 Swimwear line was lavish. Designer Gideon Oberson used lots of gold, shimmery, and metallic peach fabric for his swimwear. Lead make-up artist for MAC cosmetics, Philippe Chansel, wanted to stay with the golden beach look by not adding any dark harsh colors to the face, like black an dark brown. The models are sprayed with bronzers to give off the sun-kissed look. Chansel applied gold paint to the eye called MAC Pro Pigment to make the eye look like gold metal. Chansel also applied false eye lashes to have the eyes pop out on the runway. A simple, glossy lip plumper was applied to finished the look.


"I want to create an authentic wet, smooth pony-tail," says Hanan Shauriki, lead stylist for Redken. Shauriki applies spray starch 15 to the hair while curling. He then pulls the hair back and makes a side pony-tail. The hair is then sprayed with quick dry 18 and forceful 23 to secure the curls. The pony-tail is then pinned into a bun, and the top of the pony-tail is smoothed-over with Blonde Glam Crystal Flash to create a wet look.

Whimsical Beauty Part II

John Ruidant, lead Redken stylist, styled multiple looks for Chris Benz's Spring/Summer '09 show. "The hair is an All-American, military rebel with and hint of innocence," say Ruidant. Ruidant achieved this look by leaving most of the hair down or in a loose ponytail with a center part. The hair is then sprayed with a little Redken hot sets 22, curled, then spritzed some fabricate 03. For the loose pony-tail look, Ruidant pulls fly-aways to have a more "lived-in" look, "It shouldn't look too much like a hairdresser worked on the hair," says Ruidant.


"Innocent Revolutionary" was the title for Ayako's, lead make-up artist for NARS, vision. She used lots of iridescent oranges and golds on the eye that gives the face an innocent look, with a peachy-nude gloss for the lips. The shadows used for the Chris Benz show is apart of NARS' new season collection that will be available to the public Spring '09.

Products available Spring '09:

• Night Sun eyeshadow
• Multiple eyeshadow pallet "Orgasm"
• Hungry Heart Eyeshadow

Whimsical Beauty

Peter Som's Spring line is all about the woman being airy, whimsical, light and free.To achieve this care-fee look, Redken Creative Consultant, Guido, styled the hair messy with a little height in the front. "It's a sexy beach look," says Guido. "It doesn't matter if you see the bobby pins". Guido first applied spray starch 15 to the hair followed by a rough blow dry to make the hair look not so styled. He then pinned the top half of the hair with bobby pins to secure the look.


Lead make-up artist for Max Factor cosmetics, Pat McGrath, described the models' faces as, "sunny, glowing, healthy skin." She applied light pink and gold to the cheek and a beige/pink gloss. McGrath also applied 2000 Calorie Mascara due out January 2009. 2000 Calorie Mascara actually curls your lashes while applying!

Other products McGrath used:

• Vivid Impact Lipstick - a rich, creamy, moisturizing lip color

Starlight, Star Bright: Twinkle's Beauty

Classic Parisian was all the craze for Twinkle's Spring/Summer '09 show. Relaxed classic French twists with a modern look was John Ruidant's, lead Redken Session Stylist, inspiration. First he added fabricate 03 heat-active texturizer which activates the texture and definition of the hair, however still leaving it clean and light. He then teased the hair while spraying sections with workforce 09--a light holding spray -- brushed the hair back, leaving the bouffant and then pins the hair back.



Make-up, created by lead make-up artist Christian McCulloch for MAC Cosmetics', was very soft, with a clean face, no blush, coral-fruity looking glossy lip. The eyes were done with a puddy-color grey shadow with soft metallic pearl-colored shadow applied to the inner corner of the eye. A little mascara, and you have a light, fresh, summer look for '09!


Chrisitian McCulloch used:

• Slim Shine "Missy" lip color
• Eyeshadow "Vex"

Old Hollywood Meets Modern Style

For the ten-year anniversary of Tuleh, the Spring/Summer '09 line was a blast from the past...and the present! Bryan Bradley's concept was inspired by old hollywood glamour. The hair and make-up coincide with the garments.

Hair:

After speaking with Lead Redken Stylist, Yannick D's, the look of the hair was inspired by Rita Hayworth, however more fresh, modern and unkept. He curled the top of the models' hair with a 1/2 in. curling iron after spraying a little workforce 09 by Redken to hold the curls in place without making the hair stiff. "Workforce 09 is a light spray that won't weigh the hair down," said Rodney Cutler of Redken Salon, "It will also leave the hair light and shiny."

The hair is then sprayed with vinyl glam 02 by Redken that leaves and extra shimmer to the hair, that gives it a very modern look. The hair is then rolled in aluminum foil to keep the curls. After removing the aluminum foil, the curls are brushed out using a soft bristol brush.



Make-up

Lead make-up artist for MAC cosmetics, Polly Osmond, wanted the face to look classic with red lips, bulging gold eye, and blush that sweeps up to the hairline. "The gold on the eye will really pop out on the runway," said Osmond.

Achieve this look with:

• Pigment eyeshadow Rose Gold by MAC Cosmetics
• Dubbonet Lipstick by MAC Cosmetics
• Frankly Scarlet Powder Blush by MAC Cosmetics

Abaete: The Look

Make-up:
Make-up artist Nancy Morena of Stila told me how to re-create the look of the Abaeté:

1. Clean illuminating skin, that gives off a “just out of the shower” look achieved by using Illuminating Liquid Foundation by Stila Cosmetics.

2. A real sophisticated , smoldering eye using Smoking Eye Pallet by Stila

3. Muted, natural lips






Hair:

Lead Stylist of Redken, David Cruz, wanted to achieve a clean, sleek look by pulling the hair back into a low, tight bun, and running through the hair with fingers using a little electric wax 11 shine fused texturizer by Redken.





Fashion:
There were lots of pale yellows, blues and bright pinks on the runway with a few all black ensembles peppered in. The look was very fun, flirty, and rocker chic. Most garments had geometric prints and shapes and according to Abaeté, leggings are still in!

My Fashion Insider Duty

I am extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to be Redken’s Fashion Insider. Of course as a dutiful Fashion Insider, I will give my readers the inside scoop on what’s “in” for Spring and Summer (clothing, hair, make-up), and upload exclusive photos from backstage and the runway. In addition, I want to show my readers all of the hard work that is put into developing a cohesive, well-planned and fashionable runway show. Many people forget, or are unaware, that what goes on in the background dictates what they see on the runway.

So I hope you get a chance to read my blog, leave comments, ask questions, check photos, and most important of all—enjoy my postings! Stay tuned!