Winged Gold Glitter Eyeliner and Cloud-Inspired Negative Space Nails at Tadashi Shoji Fall 2015 Show

The beauty looks showcased during the first two days of New York Fashion Spring 2015 have been generally understated, with an emphasis on dewy, almost wet-looking skin, nude or slightly stained lips, neutral lids, and negative space nails. At the Tadashi Shoji Fall 2015 show, audiences certainly saw this restrained approach to makeup but there was a touch of theatricality in the eye makeup thanks to the gold glitter applied along the lash line and winged out along the outer corners for a deliciously Baroque cat eye effect.

The negative nail look, meanwhile, served as a contrast to the ornate and intricately beaded and embroidered fabrics within the collection Created by butter LONDON Global Colour Ambassador Katie Jane Hughes, the nail look was meant to evoke a feeling of weightlessness that spoke to the “beauty of flight” inspiration behind Tadashi Shoji’s collection, which included angelic white gowns, flapper-like frocks with layers of wispy feather trim, semi-sheer evening dresses with feather motifs sewn atop them, and gilded silk brocade gowns that radiated as powerfully as halos. When creating the nail look, then, Hughes considered both the intricacy and glamour of Tadashi’s clothing and the fascination with ascension and movement conveyed by the designs.

To translate these ideas into a graceful but minimalist manicure, then, Hughes decided upon a negative space look consisting of diagonal white fingertips reminiscent of clouds, with a touch of glittery gold peaking through the fanciful white. To make models’ nails looked like they’d literally touched the sky, Hughes started by applying the butter LONDON Nail Lacquer in Cotton Buds, a creamy and opaque white shade, making sure to cover the entire tip of the nail. Next, while tips were still wet, she applied the same white color in a diagonal formation, using a sponge and pressing down on the nail bed to create a diffused, cloud-like look.

To add a hint of glamour and evoke the angelic aura of the collection, Hughes then turned the sponge over and, using the butter LONDON Nail Laquer in Full Monty, dabbed on this gold nail lacquer along the diagonal line created using Cotton Buds, thereby softening the edges but making the juxtaposition of these two colors seamless. Last, she applied a coat of the butter LONDON Hardwear P.D. Quick Top Coat to the entire nail to seal the look and give the entire nail shine.