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Magical Manes and Sophisticated Sparkle, Backstage at Chanel

ChanelMakeup artist Peter Philips confessed that this season’s beauty look was built from the ground up—literally. Those hand-embroidered sneakers by Massaro conveyed such a new attitude in themselves that playing with iridescence in terms of makeup became self-evident. “I wanted to do something that stood out with lightness but at the same time was elegant and couture,” he said. Mission accomplished. Philips started with Chanel Perfection Lumière Velvet foundation (launching in March) to create a matte finish, “because all the shine had to come from the eyes,” he noted, and dabbed a touch of powder blush in Espiègle on cheeks and across the chin. Then came a stroke of black Ligne Graphique liquid liner and ample coats of mascara, which tempered the hologram glitter in various sizes that he applied under the otherwise unadorned lower lashes. “The eyeliner makes it chic and iconic, but then you’ve got the sparkle that feels relaxed and fresh yet creates magic,” he noted. To finish it off, Philips reached for Rouge Coco Shine lipstick in Satisfaction (out next month). “It’s a great color, because if models’ lips are naturally too red, it tones them down; if they are too pale, it brings in just the right amount of color,” Philips explained. For a bit of discreet sparkle on nails, he opted for Le Vernis in Frisson, a rosy iridescent lacquer.

chanel-headbandsAsked about his inspirations, hair guru Sam McKnight reached for his iPhone and fished out a few sketches Karl Lagerfeld sent over a couple weeks back. “He specifically said he wanted something kind of undone and asymmetrical.” McKnight’s solution: extensions that matched each model’s hair color attached to headbands (shown below). The faux strands were flatironed to stand at attention, creating the impression that the girls had just tied up their hair and left the spiky ends out. “You could say the hair had to correspond to the sneakers, too,” he said. “It had to capture an attitude, it had to be a little sporty, but it had to be a look—for couture, it couldn’t be nothing.” Ultimately, he quipped, “what it became is a version of nothing.” Not exactly much ado about nothing—the finished product was as fantastical as the footwear.

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