SPRING CATWALK TRENDS
This season’s backstage beauty looks are surprisingly wearable,
LOOKING back at the spring/ summer fashion shows, which took place in September, there were a surprising number of make-up and hair looks that could be taken directly from the catwalk and worn in real life - and that can be rare.
“Free-spirited, decluttered from convention, make-up artists are exploring the concepts of realness and relatability in beauty,” said Mac make-up artist Lyne Desnoyers at the time.
Lipstick, for example, is now “all about credibility rather than untouchable and unrealistic perfection,” she added.
And while ‘femininity’ has no single definition these days, there was a soft prettiness to many of the make-up looks, which felt fresh when combined with more boyish elements, like brushed-up brows and messy hair.
Looking for some catwalk beauty inspiration? Your guide to the SS19 trends starts here...
1. Pink
Pink lipstick may be an eternal beauty classic, but it’s all about rose-tinted eyes for spring, from chalky pastels at Marc Jacobs and Brandon Maxwell, to raspberry hues at Rodarte (where models’ hair was also festooned with pink roses) and flashes of neon at Mark Fast.
The most wearable example? At giorgio Armani a divine dusty rose was washed over eyelids and lips to create a beautiful monochromatic look.
Anastasia Beverly Hills eye shadow single in Baby Cakes, £8, Selfridges
2. glitter and shine
Think glitter is only for the festive season? Think again - the spring catwalks make a strong case for year-round sparkles with graphic winged eyeliner looks at Halpern and Valentino, plus the delicate dusting of silver shimmer at Simone Rocha and Missoni.
The metallic foil-covered lips at Jeremy Scott and Thom Browne aren’t quite so wearable, but an iridescent lip gloss is a more low-key way to try the trend.
Too Faced glitter pop eyeliner in Fairy Queen, £16, Cult Beauty
3. Pastel hair
The pastel hair trend has been huge over the last year, and evidently it’s going nowhere. Tastemaker Marc Jacobs sent his models down the New York Fashion Week runway with bouffant hairdos in a variety of beautifully soft pink and blue hues.
Over in London, at the Matty Bovan show, hair was similarly voluminous and colourful, while at Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood, the trend was taken a step further with rainbow ombre shades.
4. Bold eyeliner
You’re going to need a steady hand if you want to recreate spring’s coolest eyeliner looks, including the super-sharp double wing at Peter Dundas and the ‘floating flick’ seen at Rochas.
Not sure you’re up to the task? Burberry’s brown smoky wing is an easier proposition, as is Dior’s splodgy ‘dancing eyeliner.’
Rimmel Wonder Wing eyeliner in black, £3.99 (from £5.99), Superdrug
5. Braids
Hair stylists wove all manner of beautiful ‘do’s, from delicate plaits at the nape of the neck (at Erdem) to ‘hidden braids’ as part of a wrapped ponytail (at Preen).
For a softer take on the trend, at Roland Mouret long-haired models looked angelic with halo braids and tendrils falling around their faces.
6. Big Brows
Consider the pencil brow trend erased: Big, bushy eyebrows ruled on the SS19 catwalks, seen everywhere from Miu Miu and Moschino to Jil Sander and Stella Mccartney.
This look isn’t about painting on a pair of thick arches, though, it’s about enhancing what nature gave you with a microfibre gel instead of an eyebrow pencil.
Maybelline Brow Drama sculpting mascara, £5.99, Boots
7. Vertiginous hair
The most hair-raising trend of the season was, quite literally, the sky-high barnets. As well as the aforementioned pastel bouffants, the most extreme example was the rigid, spiked up ponytails at Ashley Williams.
Buns are having a moment as well (is that the Duchess off Sussex Effect again?), from ballerina styles at Burberry to big and messy at Olivier Theyskens, while Fendi and Dion Lee’s relaxed styles were somewhere in between.