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For SS17, designers and makeup artists pressed rewind and harked back to the bold and beautiful statement looks that came to define the 1980s. From retro perms reimagined at Topshop Unique, to Steve Strange-inspired eye makeup at Louis Vuitton and Kenzo, the message was simple: bold is back and it’s never looked better. And after last season’s proclivity for nude everything, we say about time too. Nail the nostalgia with these easy-to-master looks.
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Bond Girl Beauty at Louis Vuitton
The eyeshadow blueprint for the coming months covers far more than just the eyelid. As demonstrated by makeup maven Pat McGrath at Louis Vuitton SS17, poppy shades of purple and pink are drastically pulled out towards the temple, reminiscent of '80s icons such as Steve Strange and Boy George. For shape, McGrath – in keeping with the '80s theme – looked to Bond girl Carole Bouquet from 1981 movie, For Your Eyes Only.
“Keep the colour on the lid light, then follow by defining the socket and then giving lots of emphasis to the outer corner, really smoking, winging and blending the colour outwards” advises Adam Burrell, Makeup Ambassador for Barry M. “To make the look more wearable, keep skin and lips minimal by pairing with nudes. I’d also do your eyes before the rest of your face because it can get messy.”
Try:
Nars Duo Eyeshadow in Jolie Poupé, £25
Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Woodstock, £15
Kat Von D Tattoo Eyeliner, £16
Photo: Peter White/Getty ImagesClik here to view.
The Draped Cheek at Chanel
Sounding the death knell for contouring was none other than Chanel. Tom Pecheux chose to craft a pink-toned beauty look using the draping technique. Made famous in the '60s by legendary makeup artist, Way Bandy (who ‘draped’ some of the most famous faces, from Cher to Diana Ross), it’s used to bring out the natural shape of the face and embrace colour glow. For Pecheux, placing the blusher a few inches higher helps to lift the face, working in the same way as a push-up bra. The key to getting the look right? Use one brush to layer the colour and another to blend. This avoids heavy build of the product, which can detract from the subtle shape you’re trying to forge across the cheeks. Prefer cream blush? Buff the sides of your face with translucent powder first to keep colour from going patchy.
Try:
Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Candeur et Expérience N°268, £42
Chanel Rouge Allure Ink in Séduisant N°146, £28
Photo: Victor Virgile/Getty ImagesClik here to view.
The Jeremy Scott Loud Lash
At Jeremy Scott, makeup artist Kabuki elevated 'look-at-me lids' by saturating lashes with colour. “I'm old enough to remember the '80s, and that was the first time I ever even heard of coloured mascara,” he confessed to beauty editors backstage. Mascara palettes included hues of sunset yellow, cobalt and emerald while the heavily powdered white base was given an upgrade thanks to subtle contour creams. Pastel shadows were teamed with basic brown, black, or carbon liner that was buffed into the roots of the lashes. “It’s an '80s eye, but it’s done in a pretty way,” noted Kabuki.
For MAC’s Director of Makeup Artistry, Terry Barber, it's less about recreating the specific '80s looks and instead running with the freedom of colour that was symbolic of the decade. “It’s this idea of colour and taking one or two elements, such as lash and eyes or the lip, and really playing with them in terms of colour” he explains.
Try:
Kiko Super Colour Mascara in Green, £4.10
Chanel Illusion d'Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in Griffith Green, £25
bareMinerals Gen Nude Buttercream Lipgloss, £17
Photo: Peter White/Getty ImagesClik here to view.
Fashion Illustrated Eye at Kenzo
Seeing as Kenzo’s SS17 collection was inspired by famed fashion illustrator, Antonio Lopez, it was only right that the models' makeup echoed the oversized sleeves and billowing trapeze dresses. Makeup artist Lynsey Alexander created statement eyes that mirrored those seen at Vuitton. She applied a vivid, cherry-red lipstick across the outer edges of lids and down towards the cheeks so that the finish was reminiscent of one of Antonio’s drawings. “You want to skip the full coverage foundation underneath," advises Terry Barber. “Else the sculpting of the cheeks looks too grey and retro. You want the skin to shine through, so it has that glossy sheen, or 'fashion sweat' as I like to call it.”
Try:
MAC Studio Waterweight SPF 30 Foundation, £26
MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo, £15.50
Photo: Victor Virgile/Getty ImagesClik here to view.
Electric Nails
Want to ease your way into the '80s trend? Nails are your best bet. Take your cue from Jeremy Scott, where OPI’s Miss Pop created bright geometric shapes by dipping pencil erasers into polish before dropping directly onto the nail. Elsewhere, Ryan Lo and Manish Arora signalled a new era of talon-esque tips thanks to nail artist Marian Newman. “Colour that moves with the light feels very on trend right now” reveals MAC’s Keri Blair. For Newman, “The key to rocking '80s nails is to make sure you don’t take the style too literally, you want to give it a twist, that’s what makes it modern.”
Try:
OPI Gel Polish in No Stopping Me Now, £13.95
Ciaté Paint Pot in Deco Delight, £9
Nails Inc. Gel Polish in Queens Garden, £15
Photo: Victor Virgile/Getty ImagesClik here to view.
The Topshop Unique Perm
Makeup and nails weren’t the only beauty territory to see some '80s action. Tight spiral perms sailed down the catwalk for Topshop Unique, only this time they were far tamer than the frizzy helmets that ruled decades ago. Stylist Duffy created cascading curls by saturating the hair in L’Oréal Professionnel Tecni.ART Pli, followed by Tecni.ART Full Volume Extra Mousse, which he then blasted dry, lifting the hairline section as he went. He then took a small curling iron, and ran it down four-inch, twisted sections. "This creates the spiral perm, but does so in a way that makes it much more modern," he said backstage. Finish by flicking the front area to one side, “It adds a hint of sexy nonchalance” says Duffy. To hold in place, spritz the front section with L’Oréal Professionnel Infinium, then mist the rest of the hair with Tecni.ART Pli. Finish by raking fingers through hair to define and separate your spirals.
Try:
ghd Curve Creative Curl Wand, £120
L’Oréal Professionnel Tecni.ART Pli, £11.95
L’Oréal Professionnel Tecni.ART Full Volume Extra Mousse, £9.40 £10
Photo: Niklas Halle'n/Getty ImagesLike what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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