Frida Kahlo is no stranger to a designer’s moodboard. The trailblazing Mexican painter, instantly recognisable by her powerful eyebrows and floral headpiece, served as a key muse for Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Cruise 2024 collection for Dior.
This translated into diaphanous dresses and androgynous silhouettes, but when it comes to the make-up Creative and Image Director for Dior Make-Up, Peter Philips, went down a subtler route for a respectful nod to the art legend while incorporating the serene vibe of Mexico city.
‘It’s about really glorifying and enhancing each girl's individual beauty in a contemporary way. When you do a show in Mexico with a team like this (there were 113 models including a bevy of local faces) you don't want to go too folklore,’ Philips told ELLE UK ahead of the show.
‘It's a confident woman walking the catwalk in great clothes with beautiful elements like amazing embroideries and great shapes. Some have butterflies in their hair (courtesy of hairstylist Guido Palau), some girly elements, but at the same time there's a spiritual symbolism and there’s strength and femininity. The calm, inviting feel of Mexico City and its laidback inhabitants meant it made perfect sense to do a look that is low-key and chill.'
Speaking of Kahlo, while there were a few shots of the icon on the moodboard, finding the right balance was key. ‘We didn't want to make it into a parody, it’s too easy because Frida Kahlo is such an iconic woman especially in the fashion world,’ said Philips.
Instead of a unibrow and strong tones, the resulting look at Dior simply enhances each model’s arches, giving them extra strength without looking overdrawn. ‘Whatever make-up you do, when you have a stronger eyebrow, the look becomes more intense. It fits that fierceness that we wanted to bring for those girls when they walk the catwalk,’ says Philips.
At first glance, each model appears impeccably polished with hardly a drawn-on brow in sight, but when Philips held up a ‘before’ image, it was clear that a few strokes of brow pencil can make a world of difference.
To achieve the plush arches, Philips used the Diorshow Brow Styler as the precise nib provides control when filling in the brows. Having some transparency and seeing a bit of skin through the brow is key to ensuring a natural finish. In other words, blocky eyebrows are a no-go. He added density on the inner corners and on the highest point of the arch for extra lift, and added length to the tail end. Next, he went in with the Diorshow On Set Brow, brushing upwards to set and beef up the brows.
While past seasons saw plenty of smokiness and drama around the eyes (Maria is a fan of dark eyes, shares Philips), the mood here was fresher and much lighter. A little bit of mascara - he used the now refillable Diorshow Iconic Overcurl - on the roots just adds a bit of depth. 'It doesn’t look made-up.'
The rest of the complexion is kept luminous with just a whisper of colour underneath the cheekbones. Philips began by prepping the skin with Dior Capture Totale Le Sérum (‘If you put on a nice serum, that’s half of your glow done already’) and applied a small amount of Dior Backstage Face & Body Primer all over the face for extra gleam before going in with Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation and concealer where necessary. The goal is to have an even, clean complexion without any extra sculpting. A soft dusting of powder just before the models hit the runway helped to take down excess shine.
ELLE Edit: Dior Cruise 2024 Make-Up
Dior Addict Lip Glow in Rosewood
Dior Diorshow Brow Styler
Dior Diorshow On Set Brow
Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl
Translating Kahlo’s blushing cheeks for the modern day, Philips used Dior Rosy Glow in Rosewood, one of the upcoming new shades (out June 1) within the Rosy Glow family. Dust it softly just underneath the apples of the cheeks so ‘it’s less girly and a little stronger’. To achieve that diffused, something-but-nothing effect, Philips applied the powder with a fluffy brush and ‘polished’ the colour into the cheeks using two cotton pads so it unifies with the foundation. A swipe of Dior Addict Lip Glow in Rosewood tied the look together.
As for the unexpected raindrops that graced the show, it only lent another layer of otherworldly dewiness to an already dreamy look.
