The fashion and beauty agenda saw a fresh perspective at the recently concluded Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) x Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) season-fluid, phygital fashion week. Think drive-in runway shows, audience-free presentations, live-streams and fashion films. While dynamic ensembles were an important part of every collection, it was the hair and makeup that tied the entire narrative together. Although season-fluid, most looks, managed by cosmetics brand Lakme and haircare brand TRESemmé, at the event screamed spring and summer.
Here is a lowdown on key hair and makeup trends that added to the sartorial stories.
1. Dewy dreams
This no-makeup or minimal makeup look was in sync with FDCI x LFW’s season-fluid theme. Perfect for all seasons, the dewy look accentuates the best features of one’s face with a generous dose of highlighter and creates the illusion of a fresh, naturally hydrated skin. Examples of this could be spotted on models who walked the ramp for Huemn, Indo-German label Cocccon and veteran designer Ritu Kumar at the FDCI x LFW.
For Kumar’s show the look was complemented with kohl-rimmed eyes, while Cocccon’s runway look was completed with nude lips. The best part about this trend is that it brings out every individual’s natural complexion. Designer Arpita Mehta’s ‘Reflections’ presentation also had the dewy skin trend but here, it was enhanced with shimmery sequins on the model’s eyelids.
2. Nude is the new glam
Another example of a minimal makeup look is the nude or neutral one, which was spotted at designer Samant Chauhan’s ‘New Born’ collection showcase. While the name suggests bare face, the nude makeup look, popularised on Instagram, comprises muted earthy tones such as beige, tan, light brown on the face, eyes and lips. This sometimes is clubbed with peachy accents. Unlike dewy makeup, the idea here is not to look like you’re wearing nothing but rather to accentuate your facial features with a colour that is close to your skin tone.
3. Bold pouts
If there’s a pick-me-up makeup trend, it has to bold lips with a nude face. A showstopper in its own right, this trend is all about wearing a strong (not necessarily bright) colour that instantly brightens up your face, no matter how tired you are. Best suited for summers, colours such as bright red, plum, pink and coral are what adds drama to your pout.
At the FDCI x LFW, Ananya Panday walked the runway for Ruchika Sachdeva’s Bodice wearing bold berry lip colour paired with nude base makeup. Designer duo Gauri and Nainika’s fashion film that had models frolicking on a field in their spring/summer ensembles saw a similar trend.
4. Brows on fleek
Eyebrows garnered a lot of attention during the five days of FDCI x LFW event and, that too, for the right reasons. Bloni by Akshat Bansal’s show had models sporting fake eyelashes over natural for some extra drama, and the models in Chola, Sohaya Misra’s runway show, had heavily defined and dark brows that complemented their striking white eye makeup. Meanwhile, Khanijo reflected runway glam with coloured brows with artistic shapes.
5. A riot of colours
Cheerful pops of colour used to complete runway looks during the five-day fashion extravaganza was a testimony to the fact that colour will continue to rule spring and summer this year too. We adored fashion label Pankaj & Nidhi and their makeup artist’s take on the beauty trend. They used a blend of bright and pastel shades such as turquoise, bubblegum pink and tangerine, which were a part of the label’s collection, to create a multi-colour eyeshadow look.
6. White FTW
R|Elan and Chola by Sohaya Misra showed us fun ways to incorporate white to up our makeup game. Chola paired their label’s monochromatic separates with pearly white colour painted on the models’ eyelids, while R|Elan created a bold graphic eyeliner look for its eco-friendly collection and complemented it with nude lips and space buns.