Undisputed home of fashion’s sex factor, Italy gave us big haired, honey-limbed babestations (technical term); oozing allure as they stormed Milan Fashion Week’s catwalks. Fun, flirtatious and a little bit frivolous, Milan is like London’s smokin’ older sister – still pushing the beauty envelope having learned what ‘works’ and abandoning what doesn’t….
Punk is back!? At Fendi, models wore colourful, faux fur mohawks with a deep, matte mulberry lipstick – think Theda Bara meets the Sex Pistols in a 20s/80s make-up mash up. At Roberto Cavalli, eyes were heavily lined with varying textures of black shadow; matte, satin and shimmer finishes were smudged together before being topped with a tacky, tar-like gloss and at Versace, although the collection expressed the most obvious punk influence (studs, chains, safety pins and PVC), the beauty look created by make-up maestro Pat McGrath whispered, rather than shouted anarchy. “It’s just a little bit of edge” explained Pat, who created a flawless, luminous complexion before lining the inner rims of the eyes with jet black kohl and piling mascara on the top lashes only. Use Jouer Cosmetic’s Creme Eye Shadow Crayon in Abstrakt to achieve a shimmering smoky eye, then line the inner rims with Anastasia’s Covet Waterproof Eyeliner in Noir before finishing with two (or three) coats of d.j.v. beautenizer’s Volume Lash mascara.
If smoky eyes seem too much like hard work, adopt the coming season’s take on the red lip. 1940s was the inspiration at Dolce & Gabbana and Bottega Veneta, while at Marni, models looked like they’d been busted gorging on berries. Make-up Artist Tom Pecheux wanted the lip “to be a little bit blurry” and used a cotton bud to smudge the lip line – keeping skin pale and powdered to make the pout ‘pop’. Perfect your complexion with Sunday Riley’s ‘Liquid Light‘ foundation, before setting with Soft Focus Finishing Loose Powder. Create Dolce & Gabbana’s matte, burgundy lip using Lipstick Queen’s Sinner Lipstick in Wine (line lips with Invisible Lip Liner to avoid feathering). Or, if you prefer Marni’s smudged berry stain, use 3 Custom Color’s ‘Ski Bunny’ Lip & Cheek Stain all over lips, concentrating on the fullest part for a natural, just bitten flush.
Ponytails swung luxuriously as models sashayed down the catwalks of Moschino, Ports 1961, Iceberg and DSquared2. Super sleek with a bounce, hair was smoothed straight back then loosely curled to achieve a modern-day take on 1980s Sloane style. To channel the look seen at Moschino, blow dry hair with a heat styling spray (try Davines MELU Shield Heat Protection Spray) and a large, smoothing barrel brush (Acca Kappa’s Kotibe Boar Bristle Barrel Brush). Create volume at the roots by backcombing a little bit of Operation Glam’s Glammunition Thickening Elixir – concentrating on the crown – then gather hair into a low ponytail, leaving a few strands free to wind around and disguise the band. Secure with a kirby grip and you’re totally “Brigitte hits the King’s Road”
If you’re feeling experimental, then work the ‘wet look’ locks that dominated MFW. At Marni, Missoni, Gucci, Jil Sander, Prada and Roberto Cavalli, models looked like they’d been caught in everything from an April Shower to torrential downpour. Hair stylist Guido Paulo remarked “it’s… wet basically” when asked to comment on the look he created at Prada, where lashes were clumped together, lipstick rubbed off and hair was decidedly disheveled. Achieve the look by spritzing Sachajuan’s Ocean Mist liberally through the lengths of hair, before finishing with Spray Wax to get a slightly damp, insouciant look. Or, just skip straight to work with your hair in all its tangled, shower-soaked glory, and tell everyone “It’s Miuccia daaaaaaahlink!”