Fuchsia Lips, Winged Black Liner, Wavy Hair, And Glittery Half Moon Manicures At Betsey Johnson Spring 2012
Nobody does outlandish and fun quite like Betsey Johnson, who chose a “T & A” theme for her Spring 2012 show, held on Monday, September 12th. Fittingly, models wore bosom-boosting dresses and corsets, leopard print rompers with plummeting necklines, short skirts with the tutu-like layers of tulle Johnson so adores, and hip-hugging printed dresses with necklines revealing the tops of push-up bra cups (and, as follows, cleavage galore).
To complement the sex kitten overtones, lead hair stylist Peter Gray of Cutler Salon created a look meant to celebrate the original supermodels of the late ’80s and ’90s — and no, Janice Dickinson was not his point of reference, despite her claim to being the “first supermodel.” Instead, Gray envisioned glamour icon Jerry Hall, deciding to emulate her cascading wavy mane while modernizing the look via a side ponytail.
Unlike the ultra soft, elegant, poised interpretation of Jerry Hall-esque hair that Leonardo Manetti envisioned for the Jenny Packham Spring 2012 show, Gray’s take was filled with rock-‘n’-roll edginess.
To create the look, Gray applied Redken Rootful 06 Root Lifting Spray all over hair to add volume and bounce. Next, he sectioned the hair in a diagonal part, working from the upper left section of the head to the back right region. The hair under the left part (which constituted the smallest amount of hair) was swept into a tight ponytail at the nape of the neck. The remaining hair on the right-hand side of the part was then pin curled section by section and sprayed with Redken Fashion Work 12 Versatile Working Spray to ensure hold. Once the hair was set and dry, the clips were taken out and the hair was brushed to create dramatic waves. Last, the hair was spritzed with Cutler Shine Tattoo for a high sheen factor.
Since the Betsey Johnson consumer is more of a fun-loving party girl than a St. Tropez-visiting socialite, the makeup look leaned more heavily towards a Debbie Harry-influenced aesthetic. Creamy hot pink lips and thick black eyeliner, as well as voluminous Betty Boop-style lashes, and a hint of silver color underneath the lower lash line augmented the coquettish feel of the wavy hair.
For an unexpected dose of rocker glamour, butter LONDON Founding Creative Director Nonie Creme created an amazing black-and-silver reverse half moon manicure with a holographic silver tip. To create the look, Creme first applied the butter LONDON Union Jack Black lacquer, a glossy black hue, on models’ hand. Next, she took artificial nails and filed them into a pointed almond shape, brushing the butter LONDON Diamond Geezer lacquer, a glittery platinum hue, atop their surface. A holographic nail lacquer shade custom created for the Betsey Johnson shade was layered above the Diamond Geezer color for a three-dimensional effect.
Next came the fireworks — the blingin’ details!
A single diamond stone was added to the curved base of each artificial nails tip. The artificial nails for the pinkie fingers, meanwhile, were pierced right below the tip, and small, black safety pins were threaded through the perforations, punching up the look’s rebellious quality. Once the artificial nails were properly painted an embellished, they were placed atop the nail slightly above the cuticle line to create a “stair step,” thereby also yielding the reverse half moon manicure look Creme described.
