Though many cosmetics companies are rolling out their fall collections, we’re not quite ready to discuss moody grays, vampy burgundies, and harvest-ready oranges, olives and browns when we’re still prancing around in flirty rompers, covering our limbs with shimmering lotions to enhance our tans, and spritzing our hair with texturizing sprays to attain beach-like waves.
A quick glimpse at the nape of a woman’s neck as she twists her hair into a low ponytail.
If you tuned into the 2011 Grammy Awards in February, you were likely among those scratching their heads over Gaga’s dramatic entrance, which involved the pop star crouching inside a semi-translucent Hussein Chalayan-designed egg vessel which was, in turn, propped atop a wooden, cross-shaped plank hoisted into the venue by a gaggle of statuesque Gagaists in Roman-inspired, flesh-toned, toga-like dresses and boxer briefs.
When I first saw the visuals for the new Illamasqua “Toxic Nature” campaign, I automatically thought of Camille Rose Garcia’s artwork, which features creepy, child-like cartoon characters in apocalyptic yet fairy tale-worthy scenarios that critique humankind’s destructive tendencies.
After releasing two drama-ridden, enigmatic makeup collections inspired by socialite and fashion icon Daphne Guinness, François Nars seems to have decided that the current movement of his ongoing beauty symphony should have an andante tempo, one with a slower and less intense pace but with just as much charm.
I was initially skeptical about the efficacy of the new Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips — not because of any hyperbolic marketing claims but, rather, because of my disappointing experience with the Sephora by O.P.I Chic Prints nail appliqués, which were also nail strips with funky prints that, when pressed onto nails, would theoretically look as if they were melted onto nails for a Minx-like effect.
In the male-dominated comic book universe, populated by vigilante-style crime fighters (Batman), mutants with knife-like claws (Wolverine), wealthy playboys in powered suits of armor (Iron Man), and even a man whose anger bouts lead him to involuntarily transform into a green giant monster (the Hulk), one female superhero sought to bring peace and order to the universe using love, rather than weaponry: Wonder Woman.
Call their fashion shows theatrical, over-the-top, outlandish, glamorous or even gimmicky, but Phillipe and David Blond won’t stand for you to describe any of their events as “safe” or “boring.” True to form, then, The Blonds’ Fall 2011 show incorporates more glitter and Swarovski crystals than RuPaul’s stage garb, more psychedelic hues than a rendition of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Though he has historically flaunted an endearing affinity for the eccentric, flashy, loud and kooky, Brazilian fashion designer Alexandre Herchcovitch took a surprisingly understated approach when designing his Fall 2011 collection — all without sacrificing innovation and edge.
Wedding bells were ringing at the Bensoni Fall 2011 show — but, in this fashion love story, the characters were happy to buck convention, as guests donned snake print dresses, cousins wore tartan print tunics with thigh-high boots, bridesmaids entertained their darker sides with melting rose print frocks, and the bride strolled down the aisle (or, in reality, the runway) in a floor-length, embroidered black lace dress.
