Not Quite Nude

Drama has made a welcome return to beauty. It’s not the in-your-face kind, more a gradual morphing of the prevailing nude look into something warmer and earthier for autumn-winter — with a compelling side act of statement slap.

The good folk at Chanel, Dior and a host of less-mannered brands might not describe it thus, but their use of black liner and dark eye makeup was like a grown-up and gone-to-lunch Goth reunion. Nothing grungy about it, all perfect Parisian skin, slick hair and an insouciant sod off it’s my kohl party and I’ll wear what I want to.

In New York, where makeup is mostly kept minimal, this season a fair few shows went “off” Goth, as typified by Alexander Wang where a heavy metal sensibility of smudgy eyes and greased down hair reigned. At Proenza Schouler a smear of black shadow was applied at the inner-eye corner. Liner was rimmed on at Marc by Marc Jacobs and at Rag & Bone and turned up in exaggerated cat’s eyes at DKNY and an elegant flick at Oscar de la Renta.

Graphic liner looks were also a feature in London and Milan, ranging from sleepy black and silver used beneath the eyes at Roberto Cavalli, to messily ringed at Versace and feathered on at Fendi.

Back in Paris, liner went into the waterline at Lanvin, was rounded above and below at Rochas, and shadow was slated on at Chanel and Dior. Peter Philips colour-blocked the Dior eye in a graphic shape in blue, magenta, purple and khaki.

Face decoration was at its most extreme at Givenchy where a whirl of false piercings, hoops and studs and looped hair would have delighted Dali. Star motifs featured at Anthony Vaccarello and black lips at Giles. We all like seeing a bit of variety, so if you judge the fashion of beauty by website highlights, then it’s such show-stopping looks you’re most likely to see. (Check out out the facing page for some of the standouts). But the real trends that translate to everyday wear still centre around normcore natural.

The less-is-more look is too mainstream to disappear any time soon, but it is evolving. Nude is now less confrontingly bare. At Marc Jacobs, spring-summer makeup director Francois Nars made beauty headlines when he put practically nothing on the models’ faces.

This time round skin again looked clean, but was cunningly concealed and there was a matte berry lip paired with a strong brow and a grey-brown shadow. The queens of nude at Chloe and Stella McCartney, where Lucia Pieroni and Pat McGrath rule backstage, injected a little healthy blush. Cheeks were also flushed by Charlotte Tilbury at Donna Karan.

At Giorgio Armani, Linda Cantello extended to a metallic brown sweep in the eye crease and at Narciso Rodriguez Dick Page lined in gunmetal. Tom Pecheux shaped taupe shadow graphically at Derek Lam and used grey and copper at Altuzarra with paled-out lips. The smokey eye at Burberry was in khaki and browns.

For Nina Ricci, Aaron de Mey added interest with clear gloss on the lids, defined swept-up brows and the welcome return of mascara. Lips went from true nudes to pinker tints or berry stains and burgundies and brown, with the occasional brick or classic red.

Doll-like lashes made a play at a few shows including Giambattista Valli and Mary Katrantzou and heavy mascara helped balance many of the season’s bold liner looks.

Show hair was mostly simple. Texture was built into waves and updos were piled-up rather than pulled tight. Chignons and buns were given knot-like twists. Loose hair took on a tousled windswept look at Topshop Unique and Ralph Lauren.

There were fewer perky ponytails, with some instead given a wet look, including at Stella McCartney where loose strands fell around the face. Damp hair was also a look at Marni. Plaits were less evident, but striking when worn extended at each side at Dior and nicely messy at Lanvin where they were tied with a slim black ribbon.

Mannish side-parts were seen on a number of styles including Jil Sander, although at Pucci a 70s centre-part on long straightened hair was favoured.

The sweat bands and leather headbands seen at several shows were generally worn low. Jewelled hair-pieces added an opulent feminine touch at Dolce & Gabbana and Prada, complimented at the former by feline eyes and with pastel makeup at Prada, including peach lips. Matte, wooden and leather barrettes clasped hair low at the nape of a number of necks at other shows.