No one does la dolce vita better than the Italians. This is why season after season, Milan Fashion Week can be relied upon for high-impact hair and makeup moments that have an impassioned backstory. With evocative inspirations that ran the gamut from Elton John (the muse behind Gucci’s rogue applications of electric lipstick and iridescent shadow) to Bolivia’s Cholitas wrestlers (whom Stella Jean gave nod to with glitter-bombed gazes), the Spring 2018 narratives often translated to conceptual color and embellishment.
And then there was the unapologetic glamour we’ve come to expect from the most storied Italian fashion houses. Dolce and Gabbana topped lustrous blowouts with bejeweled Queen of Hearts crowns, while Versace paid tribute to the late Gianni Versace on the 20th anniversary of his death, not just by recreating the iconic beauty looks of his era, but by reuniting the formidable (and ageless) supermodels of the ’90s, including Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford, on the runway in all their bombshell-maned, endless-limbed glory. Here, seven beauty takeaways from this week’s shows in Milan.emphasized text
The Blowout Is Back
And in contrast to the big and bouncy iterations of years past, it’s silkier and more streamlined than ever before. From Bottega Veneta’s impossibly groomed iteration with a clean center part, to Ferragamo’s smooth-but-not-stick-straight variation, sleek strands are making a bid to become the new cool-girl calling card.
The Hair Ornament of the Moment is Gilded and Glamorous
The punctuation mark atop many a waist-cinching Dolce & Gabbana look, this season’s menagerie of headpieces, from bejeweled crowns to pearl-encrusted bands, were—dare we say it— more decadent than ever before. And proving that it’s not just a one-hit wonder, at Versace, It-girls like Kaia Gerber and Kendall Jennerwore two gold barrettes adorned with the house’s iconic medallions.
A Soft-Focus Stain is the Red Lip of Your Future
When one envisions a classic red lip, it’s with stamped-on precision. But executed the Italian way, there’s a kissed-away effect at the edges. Marco di Vincenzo served up a superbright, matte take with clouded borders, while Gucci and Philosophy slicked gloss over their watercolor-like washes of scarlet pigment to bolster the blur.
The Classic Cat Eye Is About to Go Electric
Shaking off its reputation as The Little Black Dress of makeup, the tried-and-true onyx feline flick has been re-imagined with vibrant jolts of color. Standout interpretations include Missoni’s exaggerated wings in mint green, aqua blue, and lilac shades, as well as Marni’s paint-like blocks of cobalt, pale turquoise, and emerald green saturating the lids.
There’s a New Braid in Town
Or, several of them if hairstylist Eugene Souleiman has anything to say about it. For Jil Sander, the backstage pro dreamed up a slew of intricate plaits that walked the line between biblical and futuristic. His pièce de résistance? A macrame-style, five-strand low braid that’s sure to make its way to the streets pronto.
A Sculpted, Fully Exposed Leg Is Your Best Friend
Take it from the iconic, legs-for-days supermodels who have decades of experience showing off what they’ve got. While stomping the catwalk in Versace’s honor, Crawford, Campbell, and Helena Christensen each led with whatever glowing, sculpted limb flashed out first from their gleaming slit-front gowns.
When It Comes to Glitter, Go Big or Go Home
In the spirit of the “fighting goddesses” that inspired the spring collection, Stella Jean’s heavy silver glitter was applied in fearlessly renegade fashion across the lid and brow bone for a flashing, light-catching effect that promises to be as spectacular off the runway as it was on it.
[“Source-vogue”]
