Designer: Gemma Khang
Stylist: Hirofumi Kera, Shiseido
Inspiration: Renaissance paintings
The look: Imperfect, voluminous bunsHistory, rich with complexity, is what Gemma Khang turns to for inspiration.
“I pick different periods and places — and this time it happens to be Renaissance paintings from Europe,” Khang says. “Some of the garments have many different textures in one garment, like lace, fur and some gathering.”
The colors are black and white, splashes of red and neutral browns. The hair signals a touch of glamour. It’s up, but far from uptight. Shiseido stylist Hirofumi Kera shows how he puts the va-va-voom in this voluminous updo.
“Use a sculpting spray pull the hair back and and make two parts in the back —splitting the top and bottom,” Kera says.
Then, as a filler for volume, add a spot extension and place it in the center of the top half and another in the center of the bottom half. Next, make two asymmetric buns — rolling hair down from the top and up from the bottom and pin it, but not so coifed.
“We’re making shapes that are done kind of imperfect,” Khang explains.
“Like a renaissance painting, the look is pale skin with a really flushed cheek,” adds makeup artist Ayako, who selects Nars blush in Luster and Mata Hari. “The blush is applied below the cheekbones, right where your dimples are — or where they would be if you had them — to create a look that’s a little edgy, but innocent.”
If you look too flushed, don’t start over. Just dust the cheek with translucent powder, says Ayako, who softens the cheeks of a model with Nars loose powder in Snow.
“The shimmer is only on the eyelid, following the crease of the lid and smudged under the eye,” says Ayako, applying Nars Madrague eyeshadow on the lid and Nars Kalahari and Night Rider in the crease. “No concealer, no mascara.”
For the sensuous pout, Ayako reaches for Nars Tempest lip gloss first, and then Nars lipstick in Promiscuous to temper the shine. Finally, a light dusting of powder creates a matte finish.
“You cannot do just a lip gloss and put a powder on top of it,” she warns. “It’s too greasy. That’s why you blend the gloss with a lipstick, then dust with powder. It’s a very soft, natural look, powdered white, so it’s dramatic!”
At Fashion Week, it’s always about the drama.
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