Ga-Ga over the Glittery Nails at the Nicole Miller SS14 Show

After several seasons of ultra elaborate manicures hitting the runways  — some boasting holographic, rubbery, or velvety finishes; others encrusted with pearls, sequins, crystals, beads, and glitter; and others featuring intricate hand-painted designs — we’re seeing a return to minimalism for Spring 2014, with a plethora of sheer pink, creamy nude, and soft gray nail lacquers. Those of us who were left yawning by this return to basics, however, found some much-needed excitement at the Nicole Miller Spring 2014 runway show.

Inspired by Versailles, Miller created an ornate, opulent, decadent collection that also incorporated modern kaleidoscopic prints in vibrant, playful colors that grounded the fashions in the present, despite their 18th century Parisian undertones. And, in keeping with the lavishness of the collection, butter LONDON Global Colour Ambassador Katie Jane Hughes created an ornate nail look that she described as a “glitterfall.”

Imagining Palace of Versailles’ decor at its most opulent, during the era of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, Hughes pictured the abundance of glass and the emphasis on luminosity — from the Hall of Mirrors to the numerous chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling windows — as well as the abundance of gold throughout the palace (particularly in the Chambre de la Reine, Antoinette’s bedroom). With all these sources of inspiration cobbled together, she created a resplendent look with a cascading effect.

To create the look, Hughes started by applying a layer of the new butter LONDON nail lacquer in The 444, a rich champagne gold glitter polish. Next, she lightly brushed butter LONDON’s The Black Knight nail lacquer —which features a black base and is saturated with purple pink, blue and silver glitter — onto the tips of nails, working the color down from the tip to slightly above the center of the nails. Next, she used a sponge and gingerly dabbed the area where the two shades met, creating an ombré effect.

By placing the darker color at the tips and having that shade fade into a lighter golden hue, Hughes created a cascading effect reminiscent of the chandeliers inside the Palace of Versailles, while the glitter coating each nail perfectly captured the opulence of the era, adding a grandeur to the look.

I’m so in love with this look I’m about to buy these nail lacquers as we speak!