Rosy Blush, Understated Lips, and Strong Brows at Alexandre Herchcovitch SS13
For his Spring 2013 collection, Brazilian designer Alexandre Herchcovitch derived inspiration from the ’80s — specifically from Boy George and the Culture Club, which provided much of the decade’s soundtrack with blues- and reggae-tinged pop hits like “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?” and “Karma Chameleon,” as well as ushering a new era of androgynous fashion and makeup looks thanks to Boy George’s signature style: his trademark hat worn over wavy or braided hair, his bright eye makeup (often in primary colors), and his gender-bending outfit choices. But while the garment seen in Herchcovitch’s Spring 2013 show incorporated the exuberance of the ’80s, the makeup and hair were understated and feminine —albeit with some quirky, subversive elements.
Gordon Espinet served as the Key Makeup Artist for MAC Cosmetics, masterminding the beauty look for the show, which he envisioned as a cross between Boy George and an English rose aesthetic — feminine but strong in a surreptitious way. Because the garments in the collection incorporated such bold patterns and strong shapes, then, Espinet hoped to offset the more masculine elements of the clothing with a soft and understated makeup look that prioritized rosy pink cheeks, dewy skin, soft coral lips, and well-defined brows for a touch of boyish energy.
To create the look, Espinet and his team started by applying MAC Charged Water to models’ faces in order to hydrate their skin and smooth their complexions. They then applied MAC’s Complete Comfort Cream, which relies on plant- and marine-based extracts to immediately moisturize and soothe skin, using the 190 Brush . Once moisturized, models’ complexions were covered with the MAC Face & Body Foundation to attain medium coverage with a satiny finish that’s a bit dewy and luminous. To hide any dark under-eye circles, the MAC artists applied the Finish Concealer under model’s peepers, using their fingertips to dab the color on, and sealing the concealer with the Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Pressed Powder, dusted right under the eyes. To give the skin a more youthful allure, Espinet and his teams applied the MAC Posey Cremeblend Blush ($20 at MACcosmetics.com) on the apples of cheeks, using the 168 brush to do so.
Eyes were kept bare save for the brows, which were the one “quirky,” unexpected element in the look. After brushing brows upwards to give them a boyish feel, MAC makeup artist applied a clean, almost graphic line along the top of the brow using the Fluidline Brow Tones (a new gel-like brow product releasing in SS13), making sure to use a color matching the model’s natural brow color. Using the MAC Brow Set in Clear, they then again combed brows upwards and locked the hairs in place.
After creating a strong, masculine impression with the well-defined brows, Espinet once again restored a feminine mystique through the lip look created, After applying MAC Lip Conditioner to moisturize and smooth lips, Espinet and his team applied the Strut the Cherry Lipstick (one of the hues in a lip palette scheduled for an SS13 release), a warm and understated coral red hue, to models’ pouts, patting the color onto the lips rather than relying on lip brushes or following sharp, angular line.
According to Espinet, we should expect to see more of these gender-bending makeup looks for Spring 2013, with strong brows being paired with dainty blush or blotted lips with just a tinge of color.
On the hair front, Morocannoil created the look for the show, which consisted of wavy hair, mainly tucked under bowler hats and fedoras to evoke Boy George’s time. Many models with short hair were given Nina hair extensions in a shade matching their specific hair color. Tresses were then curled and locked into place, only to be released later, when sufficient heat had sealed these ringlets in place
Check out all the backstage photos above and below, as well as our backstage interview with Espinet, to get a feel for the action!
