New York Fashion Week: Recreating the Runway

Feb 14th, 2017

On New York Fashion Week’s Spring/Summer 2017 runways, a multitude of the beauty looks that designers chose to pair with their new collections didn’t reflect quintessential spring. But that’s far from surprising. “As time progresses, we’re finding that colors and trends are taking less of a seasonal connotation,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. That tendency, agrees Natalie Soto-Carlisle, global educator for Jane Iredale, applies to makeup looks too. “Yes, anything goes now! For so long we were stuck with specific things in specific seasons, but makeup ‘rules’ have really gone out the window in the last couple of years,” she says. “We’re starting to notice what looks best on people’s skin tones, regardless of the season.”

What’s exceptional about Pantone’s Spring 2017 color palette is its composition. “This spring is showing us great equilibrium,” notes Eiseman. “It’s giving us a choice, and what we end up with is a very well balanced cool-warm, dark-light story.” The 10 colors are a mixture of vivid brights (Flame, a bold orange; Pink Yarrow, a mid-tone fuchsia; Greenery, a vivacious lime green; and Primrose Yellow, the color of daffodils), easily paired neutrals (Hazelnut, a soft beige; Pale Dogwood, a pink-toned nude; and Island Paradise, a tropical water inspired blue) and dark yet versatile hues (Kale, a deep green; Lapis Blue, a deep jewel tone; and Niagara, a medium blue-gray).

The four beauty looks we pulled off the runway and translated for you and your clients easily reflect this idea of choice between neutrals, brights and darks. Pale shades are ideal for Classic Spring Neutrals; vibrant oranges and pinks are perfect for Two-Tone Lips; brilliant or deep jewel tones are best for Statement Eyeliner; and a slightly darker version of Pink Yarrow works flawlessly for the Berry Eye & Lip. We love these concepts because they’re trendy but wearable.

We picked the brains of talented makeup artists to teach you how to tone down—then flawlessly execute—these translatable looks. Happy implementing!

Earthy Goodness

This full-face look—archetypal for spring— was embraced by the makeup artists who worked with Delpozo, Derek Lam and Thakoon this season. Soft pinks and browns carry across the entire complexion—perfectly in line with Pantone’s neutral hues. “Hazelnut has this natural earthiness; it’s light and warm, and is the perfect transitional color,” says Eiseman. “Pale Dogwood has a subtle innocence about it; it’s so light and unassuming. Plus, anything in the pink family gives a healthy glow!”

And that healthy glow is what makes these on-trend neutrals—present in makeup palettes for decades—ideal for this look. “It has wearability straight off the runway and is great for the girl who is soft, feminine and loves to look natural,” says Heather Nelson, makeup artist and owner of WAX by Heather Nelson in Santa Clarita, California. “In order to help your clients rock their inner goddesses and glow from within, you truly have to keep things simple,” reminds Alexis Frank, celebrity makeup artist and beauty expert. “Regardless of their skin tone, less is always more for this look.”

It goes without saying that clients’ complexions should be hydrated and dewy, making this a wonderful post-facial treat. Frank suggests mixing a bit of highlighter in with a moisturizer before applying their makeup for extra lustrous, glowing skin.

As for the rest of the face, think flushed cheeks, light shimmers and highlighted cheekbones, paired with soft eye shadows, groomed brows and nude lips. For those with olive and tan complexions, Soto-Carlisle cautions against using a silver undertone or sheen. “If the product has a shimmer, choose gold or bronze so it doesn’t appear gray on the skin,” she says.

Lids can be gilded with any range of pinks and browns, from milk chocolate-inspired shadows to salmon-hued shimmers. “On the runways, shadows tend to be placed just above the brow bone, but keeping the color below it will make this look more natural and wearable,” opines Nelson. As for the brows themselves, Soto-Carlisle says “effortless” is her inspiration. “You don’t want too much of a perfect brow, so stick to a gel,” she advises.

As a final step, swipe on a nude gloss, then seal the entire look with a spritz of rosewater to boost their glow!

Berry Nice

Direct from the Anna Sui runway, this look epitomizes the notion that anything goes— despite the season. “The berry eye and lip trend proves that you can rock a bold eye and lip at once,” says Dorman. Ensure your clients don’t go overboard by encouraging them to leave blush, highlighter and bronzer for another day. “Just keep the skin super simple,” says Nelson.

What’s vital to helping clients pull off this raspberry inspired look is ensuring they stick with the same color for their lips and eyes. “This works best if the products have the same undertone, but it’s even better if they’re the same shade,” says Dorman. To ensure color matching, both she and Soto-Carlisle suggest creating your own lip color from an eye shadow. “Apply a clear lip balm, then with the same shadow you used on her lids, lightly tap the powder onto her lips. Then, have her press her lips together so her smile looks bitten, not perfectly defined or lined.” Nelson agrees, explaining that a less bold lip stain “will tone down the volume for real-life wear.”

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To execute the eye, make sure the shadow is blended and diff used across the lid. “That’s super important when it comes to making this look wearable off the runway,” reminds Nelson. “Use just an eye shadow,” recommends Soto-Carlisle. “No liner or smudging, just shadow. You can layer a powder over a cream to make sure it stays matte and doesn’t move.”

For a finishing touch, the global educator suggests using a white eye pencil in her water line. “This helps to open up and brighten the eyes.”

Lip Locked

Flame and Pink Yarrow are bold, attention getting colors. They lift your spirits and get your adrenaline going. Of all the pinks and oranges, I think these two are great to do some experimenting with,” says Eiseman. We couldn’t agree more.

And by experimenting, we mean opting for not just one bold color on her pucker but two, a trend seen on several runways this season. “Cushnie et Ochs’ red-on-top, pink-on-bottom lips and Jason Wu’s mix of two reds and a dab of neon orange smack in the middle of the lip is something that can 100 percent be modified for everyday life,” says Frank. “And it’s simpler to achieve than you may think!”

“To take this matte-lip look from runway to real life, play with color placement too—instead of using one color on the top lip and another on the bottom, use a lighter color in the center of the bottom lip to create the illusion of fullness,” she suggests.

When choosing your colors, stay within the same family, so the same undertones and warmth come through. Other execution tips: “Always overdraw the lips to achieve that sultry pout, and use a clear lip liner to prevent lipstick from feathering,” says Frank.

For clients who want to make a quieter statement, suggest two very similar hues. “That way it can be more subtle—your client knows she’s wearing different shades but it’s not so noticeable,” offers Soto-Carlisle.

Of course there will those who would prefer to go bold but in a singular color; rest assured that’s equally on-trend. “A bold lip with no other noticeable makeup has been in style since red lipstick was invented,” notes Frank. The truth is, lip colors on the Spring/Summer runways ran the gamut from dark, vampy purples to sunny, vibrant corals— and everything in between. Encourage your clients with darker skin tones to opt for berry hues, whereas reds and oranges are better suited to those with olive skin tones.

–by Rachel Kossman