NYFW: Tadashi Shoji S/S 2012

Posted on October 11, 2011

This was, in every regard, an absolutely fantastic fashion week. There are lots of reasons why I love going to New York fashion week: I like getting a sneak peek at next season’s makeup products. I like learning technique from the pros. And I like “expanding my mind” — seeing things I haven’t seen before in hair or makeup or nails. Sometimes you need someone to show you what’s possible with bobby pins and nail polish.

Tadashi Shoji’s show was inspired by a garden, and lead artist Luc Bouchard (one of MAC’s superhero team of senior artists) was tasked with making the girls look clean, fresh, ethereal, and elegant, as though they’d been “kissed by a tulip.” The makeup was extremely subtle, and the models are already so young and beautiful it was easy to assume they’d just come in looking like that.

Interestingly, this kind of “street-ready” makeup can look like too little on the runway. Models are seen from a great distance, under very bright lights, and that sucks out a lot of color and definition. Usually, you have to interpret backstage photos with a grain of salt. I think this look is actually ready-to-wear.

There were several new products on Luc’s table which got me excited. First of all, NEW SPRING BLUSH! I love blush (maybe too much), and I love these colors, and I wanted them right now. The peach blush just said “peach” on the back; the pink might be called “Majolica Majorca.”

Luc was much more excited about the not-yet-released “Skin Smoother” (that might not be its final name). This skin-priming cream instantly plumps skin, diminishes pores, mattifies, moisturizes, and contains optical diffusers to refine the appearance of fine lines. “It does everything but cooks dinner,” Luc said, while nonchalantly touching up his own face. He said, “men could wear this by itself. It works under foundation, or over (particularly for mature skin).” He seemed a little sad that it wasn’t coming out right now, because he said its moisturizing properties would be especially helpful in winter.

The models were also wearing the new Matchmaster foundation (which really does look perfect from a distance, and though I wasn’t using a flash, photographs very nicely).

The hair (by Kelsy Osterman and Rodney Cutler of Cutler Salons) was loose and wavy and romantic, but held back from the face with two fishtail braids.

I asked Kelsy Osterman about the essentials tips to making this look work. She said it’s important to get the texture of the hair right before you start braiding. The Cutler team used Redken Rootful from mid-shaft to ends and Redken Guts at the roots. For girls who didn’t have natural wave, they used 1-1/4″ curing iron vertically to create a “controlled tousled” look.

Very interestingly, when the first braid reached the back of the head, the stylists actually secured it to a section of hair, and used that as an anchor for the second braid. Kelsy explained that if they just put an elastic around the two braids, it could slip.

The team finished the look with Redken Fashion Work 12 for a light hold.

Fingertips were nude (literally. China Glaze Nude); toes were sheer pink (China Glaze Innocence).