London Fashion Week’s best hair and makeup was a testament to what the Brits do best—offering a quick study in out-of-the-box beauty and serving up a playful sense of whimsy in spades. Glitter lips that actually managed to be wearable? Check. Amy Winehouse–esque cat-eyes that were heavy on quirk and character? Yes! Urban sensibilities played off romantic ones—think hand-painted lace “gloves” that could have stood in for the real fabric deal. And even the simple bobby pin got a covetable reworking that will land it on most-wanted wait lists. Here, seven standout moments that are definitively London—and designed to put the fun back into your beauty routine.
1. Lips Get the Glitter Treatment at the Shrimps Presentation
Dubbed “after-party lips” by makeup artist Lucy Burt, the sparkling silvery mouths at designer Hannah Weiland’s Shrimps presentation seemed born of kissing confetti.
2. The Pretty Ponytail Hits Its Stride at Erdem
Retro met romantic on the Erdem runway, where low-slung ponytails were given a 1940s spin, courtesy of a soft curl and a stiff black bow bound at the nape of the neck.
3. Kate Moss and Daughter Lila Grace Do Front Row Blonde at Burberry
Kate Moss and 14-year-old daughter Lila Grace graced Topshop’s front row with coordinated sets of glossy golden highlights—but when it came to mom-daughter styling, they took subtly different tactics, with Kate’s trademark tousle finding a millennial echo in her daughter’s sleek, center-parted mane.
4. Model Penelope Haro Brings Supersize Curls to the Marques ‘ Almeida Runway
London’s lean toward polished ponytails and damp, finger-raked lengths was given a welcome shake-up when Belgian model Penelope Haro opened Marques ‘ Almeida with a lion-like cascade of brushed spirals that made the case for bigger-is-better hair.
5. The Cat-Eye Gets a Bolder and Blacker Reworking at Versus Versace
Season to season, rimmings of kohl are a reliable constant, but the exaggerated edgings at Versus Versace—painted on by makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury—were an amplified take on the trend.
6. Simone Rocha Puts a Pearl-Encrusted Spin on the Simple Hairpin
While a re-emergence of ’90s hair trends naturally gave way to a hair slide revival, the bedecked pins at Simone Rocha were a study in old-world romance. Flanked on the edges of billowing curls and waves fringed in flyaways, the pearl-encrusted black and white clips staked their claim as the prettiest way to secure hair in place.
7. Body Paint Goes Lacy and Ladylike at Antonio Berardi
Referencing the prim dress gloves worn by his Sicilian mother, designer Antonio Berardi tapped makeup artist Val Garland and henna artist Pavan to paint intricate lace-like patterns—in shades of crisp white or black—onto models’ hands for a backstage moment that reimagined that most feminine fabric through a bold new medium.
