In the last 10 or so years of #NYFW – nails have had a dramatic & leveraged role in the vision of designer fashion. CND, the leader in Fashion Week fingertips keeps the trend going strong this year, not to be overshadowed by showgirl eyes or space-aged coifs. Here’s what we saw in our backstage action on the last day.
Crushed Glass & Swarovski Crystals By The Hundreds: The Blonds
While adorning nail sets with great detail (even with a crippled hand from an unfortunate hand shut in cab door situation), CND lead nail artist Kristina Estabrooks backstage at Milk Studios explained, “In the past 10 years, designers have been really taking notice of how nails can make a look come together. It’s not a hair & makeup test anymore. It’s a beauty test. The fashion team expects quality, and more creativity from the nail artist now than ever before” The creativity of nail art was put to the test when Estabrooks and 1 other designer took 3 days to prepare the entire nail collection for The Blonds, individually setting 6,500 Swarovski crystals for the red Phillipe set alone. Some of the most beautiful nails I’ve ever seen, with a wearable glam-factor that surpassed any other look I’ve seen.  The Blonds, known for their body hugging exaggerate corsets seen on the likes of Gaga and Katy Perry, emphasized the chiffon dancers with “Showgirl” looks “abbreviated Tuxedo” classic this season – where nails adorned antique crushed glass atop CND base colors to match, including Eclectic Purple, Girlie Pink & Anchor Blue.
On to the mugs. MAC cosmetics flirted with The Blonds vision in dramatic eyes, channeling the androgyny of Marlene Deitrich with sparkle encrusted wing-tipped eyes, soft cheek, barely there brows (brush their Pro Longwear Concealer through brows to get the look) and contoured cheeks. The look of a woman who has seen it all, done it all, and would do it all again.
Classic Rita Hayworth femme appeal was played up by key makeup artist Kabuki with with a matte orangey-red lip, a less exaggerated wingtip liner, flirty doe eyed lashes (combine segments of fluffy MAC false lash segments with Zoom Fast Black mascara to get the look) played up with a white pencil on the water line and warm flushed cheeks. This girl looks fresh from a stroll in the garden – probably to sneak a smoke.
last photo on the right- that makeup artist has the arm of popeye