Summer school

Insider advice on the must-have manicures of the season.

The exper t Rita Remark, global lead educator for essie. Her nail creations can be spotted on runways in Toronto and New York. Here’s how she makes nail trends happen. FIRST ST EPS “I first started paying attention to nails watching music videos. The singers with their long, exaggerated nails were impossible to ignore. I studied graphic art, but I wanted to work with people. So the next way I thought to translate my love of art was with makeup. From there, I fell in love with nail art.” DAY JOB “At essie, Rebecca Minkoff, our global colour designer, chooses the colours. My role is to translate them into looks. It’s like Christmas morning when I get a new collection.” DARK ARTS “My favourite—and the most unexpected—colour trend for summer is really dark nails. It has a back-to-the-’90s Winona-Ryder-inReality-Bites feel to it. As for shape, there are two extremes: If you can grow your nails long, an almond shape is super-feminine. If you prefer to keep your nails short, try the ‘squoval.’ It’s a more wearable, sporty nail—flat at the top and curved around the sides.” CREATIVE G ENIUS “A friend just opened my eyes to Pinterest. I’ve been a pinner for maybe a month; it’s my newest obsession. A lot of my friends are painters and graphic designers, so I find a lot of inspiration there. I always keep my iPhone handy in case I see a colour combination, pattern or texture I find really appealing.” n

bright Aqua WAS A FASHION WEEK FAVE. Whether featured in nail art or worn alone, colours like ‘ viva antigua!’ make a statement.

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PRO TIP “This manicure should be perfectly imperfect,” says Rita. “Each nail can look different, and the waves can be any size and shape you wish.”