Makeup maestro Pat McGrath and hair guru Guido Palau worked their magic backstage at Christian Dior; each gleaned inspiration from Le Palace, a Parisian hot spot during the last days of disco. Bejeweled eyes with brow-high shadow, red lacquered lips, and va-va-voom tresses paid vibrant tribute to the era.
Glitter and sequins were massive trends during the disco-fueled '70s—and McGrath made good use of these elements on various models' eyes at Dior. Those flaunting the club-ready makeup wore sexily mussed locks with a few strands sticking to their foreheads for good measure—as though they'd worked up a sweat during their dance fever.
Stéphane Rolland's luxe gowns were inspired by ancient Chinese calligraphy—and eyes and lips had a strikingly inky appearance to match.
We've never seen feathers worn like this before! At Jean Paul Gaultier, mane master Odile Gilbert crafted birdlike updos—and we're pretty sure the impetus came from Gaultier's bold new men's fragrance, Kokoriko, which is the French onomatopoeia for rooster's cry ("cock-a-doodle-doo" in English).
According to Peter Philips, creative director of Chanel Makeup, the models' light-up heels gave way to the idea of them being "veiled burglars." To create an eye that read through the veil, he went for a smoldering black hue with "starlike sparkles."
In capturing the ethereal essence of Valentino's collection, McGrath and Palau transformed models into princesses. While Palau decorated braided chignons with sparkling wire headbands, McGrath made skin glow—dusting gold pigment across the cupid's bow and inner corners of the eyes.
All except for one dress in Alexandre Vauthier's show was red; crimson was also the chosen color for lips. There's nothing like a classic pucker paired with sheer, flawless skin!
In paying homage to Japan, designer Giorgio Armani dotted his Giorgio Armani Privé catwalk with Asian-inspired dresses (see obi belts, origamilike folds, and cherry blossom prints). Makeup also followed suit: Cherry blossom-pink played across eyelids, cheeks, and lips, while flicks of charcoal liner gave peepers a dreamy almond shape.
