PERFECTLY POLISHED
These are the nail hues to choose this season, says KATIE WRIGHT
SURVEYING the AW19 backstage beauty trends, when it comes to nails, there were some bonkers – but brilliant – designs on the model’s fingers. From curved, two-inch talons at Rick Owens to shiny golden fingertips at Lanvin, these lavish creations are not exactly ideal if you need to use your phone, rummage in your bag or make it through the day without harming yourself or others.
But at the other end of the spectrum, the catwalk nail gurus have given us some beautifully wearable options for autumn/ winter, as have the new-season nail polish collections.
In the mood for a mani makeover? Here are five trends to try...
1 PEARLS
ONCE the preserve of grannies and ladies who lunch, pearls have made a massive comeback in fashion recently, seen on everything from bags and hair accessories to knitwear.
Now, they’re on nails. At the Adeam AW19 show, models had pearl beads of varying sizes dotted on top of a metallic blue base, while at Yuhan Wang, tiny pearls were peppered all the way down the fingers.
Worried that this souds like this fits in the ‘not very wearable’ category? To make it both pretty and practical, instead of using beads, paint dots with a pearlescent polish instead.
2 CLASSIC REDS
THE mani equivalent of a scarlet lip, shiny red nails never go out of style.
At Ashley Williams, manicurist Michelle Class made the case for a slightly longer nail length with rounded tips and a ‘true red’ hue, while at Oscar de la Renta, neatly filed nails were painted blood red.
3 GREEN NAILS
SLOWLY but surely, in response to consumer demand, the beauty industry is taking steps to become more environmentally sustainable, and that includes nail varnish.
Barry M has launched a Green Origin collection of vegan polishes made from 70% ethically-sourced natural ingredients, including potato, corn and wheat. Inspired by nature, the eight wearable shades include Evergreen, a green as deep as pine needles, and Mushroom, a soft grey-brown. 4 SEVENTIES SHADES
FROM heritage tweeds to leather trousers and swishy skirts, Seventies fashion is a major trend for AW19,
5 DEEP BLUES
GOT the blues? You’ll want them when you see the stylish but simple nail art at House of Holland, where OPI technician Robbie Tomkins started with a base of teal and added a thick stroke of black at the tip to create a bold aquatic effect.
Even simpler, at Giorgio Armani, models were given midnight blue nails, a look you can recreate with the purplish Moonlight from the new Nailberry autumn range.