New York Fashion Week S/S 2012 Day 7 Recap

With fashion week wrapping up, there were lots of sophisticated and natural looks appearing backstage on day seven. For next summer, I'm predicting a return of tanned, '70s glamour. Think big hair, lots of bronzer, and beautiful, healthy skin.

Michael Kors

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK S/S 2012

MAKEUP

It was all about the deserts of Africa at Michael Kors this morning. The American darling took his love for golden, healthy looking girls and piled even more tan than usual into their faces. "It's all about the healthy glow," said makeup artist Dick Page. "I covered the girls' faces with a light layer of foundation and then added highlighter and bronzer in layers. By starting with a lighter shade and going darker, you can ensure you don't look orange." Dick used Shiseido Bronzer and also filled in the brows with his signature mix of Shiseido Shimmering Cream Eye Shadow in Caviar, Sable and Leather. Eyes were covered with a light coat of Luminizing Satin Face in BE20 and the inner corners and center of the eyelid's were dotted with gold.

HAIR

Hairstylist Orlando Pita also created hair inspired by the African dunes. "It's supposed to look like the girls are on a trip through Africa and all they have to groom themselves are their leather shoelaces," said Orlando. "They can also only see the front of their head so that's the only part that's slicked back." The hair was parted in the center and separated into two braids that were wrapped around leather. The braids were then tied into one and teased to create a really tough, matted look. Orlando used T3 dry shampoo and Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray to really add texture to the hair.

NAILS

Color was taken off the nails and they were left bare. After all, you don't have polish in the desert!

J. Mendel

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK S/S 2012

MAKEUP

Makeup artist Gucci Westman was inspired by a cool, edgy, and almost futuristic girl at J. Mendel this morning. A bronze, brown shimmer from her new collaboration with Revlon was used all over the lid, and smudged along the lower lash. "I'm not using mascara," said Gucci. "This girl doesn't have time for mascara or eye liner, and she looks cooler without it." Her tip? "To make the shadow last all day, set it with a powder." The rest of the face was mostly bare, with just a little bronzer on the cheeks and the same brown shimmer shadow was applied to the lips.

HAIR

Inspired by Debbie Harry wearing a hat (quirky right?), hairstylist Paul Hanlon pulled hair to the side to create a fringe that went over the face and completely covered one eye. The rest of the hair was left loosely waved. He used Catwalk by Tigi's Salt Spray and worked it into the hair so it looked textured. 

NAILS

Inspired by the futuristic theme of the makeup and clothes, manicurist Jin Soon Choi used a very soft, almost translucent color with a hint of shimmer called Grey Suede by Revlon on the girls' toes and fingers.

3.1 Phillip Lim

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK S/S 2012

MAKEUP

The entire look (clothes, makeup, nails, and hair) was inspired by kites, flying, and lots of wind. We also got the impression of silvery skies from the cool silver- and plastic-strapped chunky heels that walked the runway. Makeup artist Francelle Daly wanted something that was soft and edgy at the same time. "I used a little tinted moisturizer to prep the skin," said Francelle, "it's all about the eyes with this look. I used about six coats of mascara to make them pop." The eyes looked incredible with a thick swipe of silver eye shadow (Nars Single Shadow in Night Life) across the crease, and the rest of the lid left bare. Skin was dewy and fresh, and lips were covered with concealer to matte them down.

HAIR

A beautiful, almost poetic hairstyle was created by Odile Gilbert at 3.1 Phillip Lim today. Hair was prepped with Kérastase Fibre Technique to condition and protect it. Then it was parted to the right side and pulled back into two twists, which Odile pulled into a knot. Finally, she pulled back three pieces of hair from the left side of the head and pinned them so they looked almost like waves. "This is to look like the wind," said Odile.

NAILS

One of CND's brightest colors, Raspberry Parfait, was mixed with their legendary Air Dry quick dry top coat to make the color used on models' fingers. Manicurist Angie Wingle also mixed a few drops of the vivid fuchsia pink with the top coat to create a rosy hued natural color.

Reed Krakoff

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK S/S 2012

MAKEUP

A natural, almost completely bare face was the look at Reed today. Makeup artist Diane Kendal said she was basically "enhancing the models' naturally gorgeous faces." Lots of silks, nudes, and bone tones were featured in the collection, and inspired the whole look. "I used a mix of two blushes, MAC's Immortal Flower and Love Cloud, to create a peachy-pink shade that was very subtle," said Diane. She finished off the models' faces with a coat of nude lip gloss (MAC's C-Thru) and no mascara.

HAIR

The cool girl that Reed Krakoff likes to emulate in his clothes came through in the hair today, and hairstylist Guido Palau kept things simple with a low ponytail. The elastic was covered in leather (which Reed chose) and had a messy natural part. "We wanted to create a cool ponytail," said Guido. "It's like the same thing we've always done but with updates."

Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK S/S 2012

MAKEUP

It was a peachy haze that covered models eyes at Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti this afternoon. Set in a stunning mansion on the Upper East Side, the show had an air of angelic innocence and the peachy color looked as if models had a golden light shining upon them. Makeup artist Lucia Pieroni used two blushes to create the glowing shade (Fleur Power and Holographic orange), and proceeded to use it on the eyes, the high apples of the cheeks, and on the lips. The look was all about translucency. "I used a very, very soft brush," said MAC's Director of Makeup Artistry, Lyne Desonyers. "It ensures that you get a really light, airy finish and we wanted everything to look really soft." The eye shadow was taken all the way up to the eye brows, and then along the bottom lashes and onto the cheeks, so it looked as if cheeks and eyes joined.

HAIR

"I was inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites," said hairstylist Didier Malige, "and I wanted the girls to look angelic, so it's almost a halo of hair around them." He started half way down the girls' heads and wrapped hair around wide pins in a figure eight motion before twisting the end of the pin to hold the hair in place. Just before the show, he released the pins and combed the hair out to make it fluffy.

Anna Sui

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK S/S 2012

MAKEUP

It was a riot of color, prints, and turbans at Anna Sui, where the designer was inspired by St Tropez, Donna Jordan, and the decadence of Yves Saint Laurent in the '70s."It's all about reds," said makeup artist Pat McGrath. "We put red blusher on the eyelids, the cheeks, and made a very strong, hot red lip. There's a silver streak in the center of the eyelid and then I'm putting Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream on top. It's a very done look. And very now." Pat used Cover Girl Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush in Lush Berry on the eyes and cheeks. And a teeny bit of red lipstick (Cover Girl Lip Perfection, out in January) over the blush. Eyes were covered in Cover Girl Smoky Shadowblast in Onyx and Smoky, and lashes were made spiky with Cover Girl Lash Blast 24 mascara. A silver highlight was added with Cover Girl Smoky Shadowblast in Smoke. "We're muting the brows using foundation," said Pat. "Brows get in the way, but we didn't want to bleach everyone. The '70s era of decadent clothes lead to red on the eyes. If you're wearing a conservative beige suit, maybe it doesn't work. Reds are usually something quite dangerous. That's why I'm using creams and not pigments or eye shadows. It makes a big difference, you can sheer out a cream. Red's been in since I was born. Marilyn Monroe did it."

HAIR

"The hair is Old Hollywood hair with a '70s twist," said hairstylist Garren backstage. "It's all about lots of curl and making it wilder. In the show some girls are wearing are turbans and some flowers. So we're doing glam hair that's more styled." Garren set the curl using an Enzo Milano curling stick and Rene Furterer Volumea or Garren Designing Spray Tonic. "We clipped in the curls so they really set," he said. "Then we're using a large comb and brush to brush out the hair a lot and shape it. There's a side part and one side of the hair is behind the ear and one side is left in front."