Melissa Meisel, Associate Editor03.16.12
From head to toe, fashionistas rocked the latest looks for Fall 2012 at Fashion Week in New York. This is made possible by industry experts in the hair and nail industries, which helped shape these styles by providing product and even working backstage.
For the second season in a row, Essie cosmetics unleashed its creative and colorful vision on Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week for Fall 2012. Adding to the backstage excitement will be Essie Weingarten, the founder and creative director behind the iconic brand. Essie and an exclusive team of manicurists were on hand to offer insider tips throughout the week.
The designer lineup expanded in size from last season and featured a balance of industry staples and up-and-comers including: DKNY, 3.1 Philip Lim, Helmut Lang, Richard Chai, Creatures of the Wind, Pamela Love, Lela Rose, Carolina Herrera, Tory Burch, Rachel Roy, Costello Tagliapietra and Douglas Hannant Pink. The brand also aligned with Haven Spa as the featured nail expert for the Rebecca Minkoff, Suno and Edun shows. Additionally, Essie nail colors graced the runways of Custo Barcelona, Carlos Miele and Jenny Packham.
The designer lineup expanded in size from last season and featured a balance of industry staples and up-and-comers including: DKNY, 3.1 Philip Lim, Helmut Lang, Richard Chai, Creatures of the Wind, Pamela Love, Lela Rose, Carolina Herrera, Tory Burch, Rachel Roy, Costello Tagliapietra and Douglas Hannant Pink. The brand also aligned with Haven Spa as the featured nail expert for the Rebecca Minkoff, Suno and Edun shows. Additionally, Essie nail colors graced the runways of Custo Barcelona, Carlos Miele and Jenny Packham.
Muted tones were big from CND at Fall Fashion Week 2012. |
“I’ve always said that color is the ultimate accessory for women,” said Essie Weingarten. “So our partnership with so many amazing designers during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week continues to thrill and inspire us. Not only is it the perfect collaboration for Essie as a fashion-forward brand, but I love that we’re giving women everywhere their first look at what’s coming next from the industry’s best. ”
Alongside Weingarten, the Essie nail looks were created by a team of artists: celebrity manicurists Elle, Ana Maria, Gina Edwards and Michina Koide.
Alongside Weingarten, the Essie nail looks were created by a team of artists: celebrity manicurists Elle, Ana Maria, Gina Edwards and Michina Koide.
According to another nail marketer, CND, the runway was filled with custom blended jewel tones, soft nudes, fishnet prints and metallic manicures. At Catherine Malandrino, CND's Angi Wingle custom blended a strong plum cherry shade using CND Colors in PlumvilleandDark Rub and topped with two coats of high shine CND Air Dry Top Coatfor a biker chic manicure to match leather accents and tough girl graphic eyes. For Victoria Beckham, CND's Roxanne Valinoti created “the ultimate luxe manicure,” according to the company, a neutral CND hue in Putty layered with Marshmallow Rose. This nail complemented the tailored clothing and vibrant lips.
At Behnaz Sarafpour, Roxanne Valinoti created an array of high shine gold and metallic manicures. These nail looks went well with the collection's high-tech feminine feel. Fans of this look can recreate the manicure at home with CND Colours in Gold Chrome and Silver Chrome.At Nicole Miller, CND's Wanda Ruiz helped showcase parallel times to prove that "the past plays out in the present." CND's "Time Machine" manicures at Nicole Miller were trippy and hypnotic in colorful swirls ofCND Colours in Plumville, Electric Orange, Bicycle Yellow and Anchor Blue. Master this look at home with a toothpick (or a detailing brush) and some patience.
Jeanie Syfu for TreSemme backstage at the shows. |
Meanwhile, OPI was used on nails for the Jason Wu and Rebecca Taylor fall/winter shows at St. John’s Center Studios and Lincoln Center. For Jason Wu, models’ nails were painted with taupe hue, San Tan-tonio. The noticeable neutral complimented clothes in taupe, black and gold with pops of fuchsia and red, according to the company. Road House Blues, a purple-y navy, was painted on models’ nails for Rebecca Taylor to complement the collection’s dark colors and floral prints.Celeb attendees of Jason Wu included Shailene Woodley (actress, The Descendants), while Rebecca Taylor’s front row seated Olivia Palermo and Zoe Kravitz.
Redken Creative Consultant Guido kicked off the Fall 2012 season in New York with a texturized, downtown hairstyle to match the India-meets-England theme that inspired Rag + Bone designers Marcus Wainwright & David Neville. The hair reflected a disheveled look that sometimes comes with traveling, complementing myriad layers, fabrics and prints that made up the collection, according to the company.Products included full frame 07 all-over volumizing mousse and rough paste 12 working material.
“In my mind the hair today is a little ‘Patti Smith goes to India’. It’s a little rock ’n’ roll, with soft almost dreadlock-like chunky pieces- it’s really a very cool look, and perfect for the Rag & Bone girl,”said Guido about the look.
Kinky, curly and wavy hairstyles took over City Winery in New York City for the first ever Texture on the Runway, a showcase of styles created exclusively for textured hair, hosted by Texture Media on Feb. 11. Creative teams from leading hair care brands Arrojo, Curls Unleashed, Hair Rules, Matrix and Minardi Luxury Color Care joined together to display a new era of styling for curly hair types.
Each of the presenting brands sent a handful of models down the runway to show off a wide range of styles, all of which were then followed up with a presentation by their lead stylists. Nick Arrojo and his creative director Amanda Jenkins introduced the audience to their new American Wave System. Curls Unleashed director of education Reginald Mitchell got the crowd excited about letting their curls free, while Hair Rules showed off 70s inspired full waves. Matrix creative director Nick Stenson took a step back in time when he put a modern spin on Victorian-era styles and Mark Mileti, color director of Minardi, whipped up “classic-modern” avant-garde looks to show how extreme color and curls could work together.
TreSemmé stylist Jeanie Syfu created an undone side bun for Rebecca Minkoff's Fall 2012 runway show to complement the designer’s collection of leather, fur, sequins and knits. She also crafted sleek and polished ponytails backstage atCharlotte Ronson's Fall 2012 runway show.Inspired by the 70s, the designer’s collection was refined and glamorous with edgy accents, according to the company.
The hair look at the Peter Som show at Fashion Week represented a new direction for a new season with contrast playing a key role, according to sources at Wella Professionals.
“The Peter Som collection this season is very pared back and led by strict shapes and colors, so I wanted to create a graphic look that worked with the collection but at the same time was not too harsh” said Eugene Souleiman, global creative director, care and styling, Wella Professionals.“This look is all about tension; tension from the contrast of the small sleek head shape against the full wildness and texture at the back of the hair, and tension between the shine and precision of the top section against the arid rawness of the longer lengths.”
Suggested products include Wella Professionals Enrich Shampoo and Conditioner, Wella Professionals Stay Brilliant Color Protecting Lotion, Wella Professionals Stay Essential Hairspray and Wella Professionals Ocean Spritz Beach Texture Spray.
And that’s what it’s all about at Fashion Week—beauty complementing the latest in style.