Metallic makeup, colourful wigs, pearl embellishments and towering topknots — this year’s runways had it all.
There were many things to love about this year’s New Zealand Fashion Week: Kahuria. The fashion. The celebration of Māori wairua and connection to Papatūānuku. The street style. The formidable talent evidenced
But it’s also about beauty. The glowing skin, the makeup, the hair — the je ne sais quoi that brings every look to life.
Below, Viva beauty editor Ashleigh Cometti takes you through every inspirational look from this year’s runways — from smoky, sultry makeup looks to dreamy, otherworldly vibes. Ahead, find 12 of the Fashion Week beauty trends we’re betting will be everywhere come summer.
Red-Wine Lips
As seen at Zambesi, Kate Sylvester, and Kathryn Wilson
Before you categorise aubergine as a shade reserved for cooler climes, think again. The rich, merlot-esque shade was the cornerstone of the beauty look keyed in by Zambesi makeup director Kiekie Stanners at the iconic fashion brand’s seaside show. Groomed brows and lashings of mascara cemented the look.
Power pouts in shades of poppy pink and vermillion red cropped up at Kathryn Wilson and Kate Sylvester respectively. We’ve come to expect a more-is-more-is-more approach to beauty at Kathryn Wilson, and Nandan Bhat reached for multiple pink products to achieve this summer-ready look, complete with a glittery cut crease eyeshadow.
At Kate Sylvester, Aleph Beauty founder Emma Peters and her team of pros traced the brand’s no-nasties Cheek/Lip Tint, $58, in the shade Sangha on models’ lips, whilst keeping the remainder of the makeup clean and perfected to ring in the fashion stalwart’s 31st year.
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Braidy Bunch
As seen at Campbell Luke and Imperfect Creatives (Graduate Show)
Charged with leading a team of hairstylists across five shows throughout Fashion Week, award-winning stylist Michael Beel adopted an Edwardian-type vibe at Campbell Luke — working with models’ natural hair texture to create a loose, lost-in-the-woods style in keeping with Bobby’s designs. Think a strong centre part with two braids flanking the models’ temples, secured at the nape of the neck into a loose bun with fuzzy, fluffed-up strands above. The Dyson ambassador worked with two of the brand’s leading hot tools — the Supersonic with the Flyaway attachment, $699, to dry and smooth, and the Corrale, $749, to create movement and volume. But one product stands out as the hero of the look — dry shampoo.
“Dry shampoo is our best friend to keep that organic, fluffy, flyaway texture through the back. Dry shampoo is great to bring that soft, natural undone vibe. Models are busy all week and we don’t want to load hair up with heaps of alcohol-based product,” Michael says. Given the models have varying hair textures, Michael said each look was tailored to ensure it worked for their unique hair type. “You’ll see those idiosyncrasies as they walk down the runway,” he muses.
The look was sleeker at the Graduate Showcase, seen here on a model at Imperfect Creatives. Michael and his team crossed strands over at the nape of models’ necks, before securing in place with a black elastic and plaiting into tidy braids that sat behind their shoulders.
Pretty Embellishments & Gilt Details
As seen at Samantha Zhang and Cecilia Kang
We were hoping a little sparkle would feature on this year’s roster and, thanks to two fanciful designers, it did. Few things are as mood-boosting as a sprinkling of glitter, a wash of shimmering metallic or some pretty pearl applique. As elaborate as the designs coming down the runway, pint-sized models at Samantha Zhang donned faux freckles in pearl and gem form, dotted across their cheeks, nose and forehead to lend a little extra sparkle. For hair, each model wore their hair slicked back into low-slung ponytails, decorated with pearl semi-circles spaced out evenly across their heads.
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New Heights
As seen at Cecilia Kang, Jacqueline Anne, and WANO4 (Go Media Miromoda)
An homage to Japanese culture, the hair look at Cecilia Kang was of dramatic proportions, complete with poker straight spikes. Created by Clarette Soh of Clarette FX for Davroe, the team worked with the brand’s Complete Aerosol Hairspray, $35, and Construct Gel, $34, for a look that’s surprising and striking. “It feels quite different,” Clarette and Cecilia’s long-time collaborator says. “We didn’t want to make it simple today.”
With hair looks as bold as the designs themselves, Jacqueline Anne’s runway show really delivered on drama. Directed by Sara Allsop, models wore voluminous French rolls twisted on themselves at the crown, with a straightened long ponytail. For makeup, each beauty look was matched with its corresponding design for a monochromatic look — in smears of violet, lime green and fire-engine red.
Draped Blush
As seen at Francesca Flynn (Go Media Miromoda) and Bantu
Nothing says “spring” quite like draped blush. But while the makeup trend has been kicking about for some time (since the 1970s, to be precise), every year we’re delighted with its re-emergence. Generally, it calls for vibrant shades of coral, pink or red blush, applied liberally from the apples of the cheeks up to the temples and around to the top of the brow bone.
This year, the sweeping makeup application technique was spotted at both Bantu and Francesca Flynn (pictured here as part of the Go Media Miromoda ensemble show). Keen to try the look yourself? Get the draped blush look here.
Exaggerated Cat Eye
As seen at Susana Tasi and Kharl Wirepa
Meow! This is no ordinary feline flick — instead, Basalaj Beauty makeup director Lisa Matson took things to the extreme at both Susana Tasi and Kharl Wirepa’s shows. Each one demonstrated individual flair, as influenced by the unique artistic talent of each designer (Kharl’s with hints of shimmering metallic pink and blue, and Susana’s surrounded by matte taupe and beige hues) but one thing remained — the elongated, kohl black flick created with Maverick, Basalaj Beauty’s blackest black eyeshadow (find it included in the brand’s 1985 Powder Eyeshadow Palette, $145). Rather than trace it from the upper lash line, the flick followed the invisible line from the lower lash up towards the temple (which it very nearly reached, too).
Seeing Double
As seen at Lontessa and Ivantino (Graduate Showcase)
Prepare to get playful with pigtails this spring, say the runways at Lontessa and the Graduate Showcase. Whether flung haphazardly behind models’ shoulders, arranged into neat braids, or slicked into tight coils draped down to the decolletage, this decidedly youthful hair look proved very popular this year. Hairstylist lead Sara Allsop created a deep side part with models’ hair at Lontessa (who says side parts are dead?!) before smoothing strands tight against their heads and securing them into two long pigtails at the nape of the neck. The twist? Quite literally — strands were wound around themselves using strong-hold product to ensure longevity.
Negative Space Liner
As seen at Viva Next Gen
We’ve long been fans of negative space liner, a chic update to a classic winged liner, and at Viva’s Next Gen show, the trend was spotted in the brightest shade of turquoise blue. What also made it unique was the alternative placement. Typically, negative space liner would connect the upper lash line at the outer corner of the eye, then follow the crease of the eyelid inward, ending in line with the iris. Here, the switch was flipped — the liner ran along the lower lash line (tightlined to the waterline) and connected in the inner corners of models’ eyes. Discover the bright shade Tycoon inside the Basalaj Beauty 1985 Powder Eye Palette, $145.
Hi Ho Silver
As seen at Kiri Nathan and Kaistor St
Is this the end of the Gilded Age? Gold hues took a back seat to silver this year, spanning both makeup and hair. At Kiri Nathan, hairstylist lead Sara Allsop used coloured hairspray, clay and white face paint to add touches of silver to voluminous up-dos — which drew inspiration from periods throughout history, and embraced texture and structure.
Elsewhere at Fashion Week, silver eyeshadow made models’ eyes pop at Kaistor St, with its placement spanning from the upper waterline to the eyebrow in the ultimate 80s-inspired makeup look.
Getting Wiggy With It
As seen at Kathryn Wilson
Danny Pato has created a name for himself both locally and internationally for his unparalleled ability to create and style wigs. It’s something the Viva team has witnessed time and time again — as a long-time collaborator on both our fashion and beauty shoots — but also in his adeptness at producing award-winning collections for international hairstyling competitions. At Kathryn Wilson, Danny flexed his creativity once more — colouring, placing and styling a series of balayage wigs in pastel shades of pink, green and blue, alongside peroxide blonde.
As statement as the horde of heels, sandals, cowboy boots and flat-forms were, Danny used his medium to support Kathryn’s vision perfectly — a beautifully executed hair look that captured the fun and frivolity for which her shows are known.
Ethereal Beauty
As seen at Rory William Docherty, Campbell Luke, Slow and Conscious, and Juliette Hogan
Fresh, youthful makeup will always have its place at fashion weeks around the world, and this year was no exception. Directed by Josie Wignall, supported by Sarika Patel and the team for Bobbi Brown, the look at Juliette Hogan was fresh and minimal, with a clear focus on skin. “Healthy, glowing skin is really on-trend at the moment — so all of the models have had a lovely massage so they’re all super-plump and hydrated,” Josie says. “Foundation coverage is really minimal, with a little bit of pressed powder to polish and set.”
Hero products used include Bobbi Brown’s Vitamin Enriched Face Base, $120, to prep skin for the lightweight base products to follow, with pops of melon-hued blush all over the cheeks in the form of the Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in the shade Fresh Melon, $76, for a healthy flush of colour, finished off with illuminating gloss along cheekbones and lips.
“The whole thing is quite a pared-back look, it’s super stunning, slick and in line with Juliette’s vibe,” Josie says. “It’s a really typical Kiwi girl look. She looks after her skin; she’s going to throw on something a bit glossy for a bit of sass.”
Shiny, luminous skin was on the menu at Campbell Luke, as directed by renowned makeup artist and daughter of Dame Pieter Stewart, Kristen Stewart. “We wanted to go for something really fresh for Bobby, elevating it from what we’ve done in the past. Simple, but beautiful. Everything’s really creamed and buffed out into the skin — like cream-based highlighters and a little bit of pigment,” Kristen says. “His clothes are so soft and beautiful, we wanted to keep that familiarity going forward.”
Working with products from M.A.C, Kristen opted for illuminating shades of bronze and a mix of powder cream textures to keep the skin dewy and soft-focused. Kristen used a now-discontinued shade of M.A.C’s Paint Pot (Indian Wood is the best shade she’s ever used, she says) along with two of M.A.C’s quintessential offerings — Strobe Cream, $80, and Studio Radiance Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation, $75. While mascara was minimal, faux freckles were not — dotted all over models’ noses and cheeks using a brown liquid liner, pressed gently into the skin for the most natural, imperceptible finish.
Natural Texture
As seen at Kate Sylvester, Juliette Hogan, Rory William Docherty, and Levius Ngahuia (Graduate Showcase)
Loose and lived-in texture reigned the runway, with strands left free and wild to capture the essence of each collection. Created by Lauren Gunn, supported by Sean Mahoney and the team at Colleen, the hair look at Juliette Hogan was: “naturally beautiful, healthy and fresh-looking”, Lauren says.
“There’s a natural wave to the hair, but no discernible style as such. We’re working with natural hair texture as much as possible, using products that hydrate the hair and combing it through. Where the wave needs a bit of help, we’re using hot tools to enhance it.”
Lauren says the finished look was the result of a collaboration with Alice and Juliette and is a natural evolution of what she’s created for the team previously. “This was our third attempt — it’s an evolution. We’ve jumped four years ahead from what we were doing. If we had been showing, we would’ve naturally evolved to this,” she says. “In my mind, I’m referencing 90s Chloe.”
For a nice, natural polish, Lauren used three lightweight products by Kevin Murphy — the Fresh Hair, $59, dry shampoo for a satin-like finish, Leave In Repair, $79, for hydration, and set each look with a mist of Session Spray Flex, $59, for shine.
Headed up by Jock Robson, co-founder of Dharma salon, alongside wife Sara Allsop and the Industry team were the maestros behind the look at Rory William Docherty, which evoked a cool, European elegance whilst maintaining models’ individual hair texture. The objective was not to appear fussy or polished, instead enhancing natural waves or bends in the hair.
If length allowed it, some models had their hair looped into a lived-in, low bun — designed to look as if they’d popped it up themselves. The focus wasn’t on loading the hair up with product, save for a little Wella Eimi Dry Me, $32, dry shampoo to cleanse hair in between shows.
