By Anna Sui has never been afraid to play with colour, her nostalgic, whimsical designs often interspersed with playful touches of bright sunbursts, vivid violets, and crochet cut-outs.
For Spring/Summer 2019, the designer tapped into the dreamy escapism of wanderlust and the magical world of fairytales. Always the master historian, Sui combined the shopping-themed runway show with beauty inspired by 20th century artist Tony Duquette.
All the models received the Pat McGrath treatment. For the natural look, the make-up maestro used Skin Fetish highlighter on the cheekbones and Astral Luna gold shadow and a champagne-hued Beyond Fire Opal on the lids and cupids bow for a glow-y effect. To bring out the eyes, a tiny bit of black-brown mascara was applied to the lashes, while McGrath used the brand-new Lip Fetish balm on the lips for a light sheen.
Sui selected six of the girls to be given kaleidoscopic eyes, in which McGrath describes as 'just the dream of the face.' The artist utilised a cacophony of pink, orange, and yellow pigments (in Euphoria, Paranormal, VR Fire Opal, and Rose Gold) on the lids and over the brows for a rainbow effect.
For the cheeks, she swept Astral Luna Gold and Love Supreme for a dewy, youthful look. Brows were kept rather understated, with concealer patted on to keep them subtle.
'Today’s look is everything, isn’t it?' McGrath says. 'You can do a thick brow on Monday, thin brow on Wednesday, pale brow Thursday…glitter brow on Sunday to celebrate, but it’s really just about expressing your individuality and it’s so fun and we’ve been saying this for years.'
As for hair, R+Co founder Garren describes the style as a 'modern rockabilly thing, which resembles a turban.' Half of the models had their tressed pulled up into messy buns and textured with R+Co's Waterfall Moisture and Shine Lotion, Sail Soft Wave Spray, and Motorcycle Flexible Gel for a little hold and definition.
'These girls are travellers in wonderland,' he says. 'Anna's show is like you went around the world and started picking things up and shopping in places where they sell old clothes. It's natural hair but at the end of the day, the girls have that half-up half-down look.'
