Striking Beauty on Spring 2025 Couture Runways
PARIS — Beauty made a bold statement on many spring 2025 couture runways.
At RVDK Ronald van der Kemp, lips were often painted a red and eyelids shadowed, sometimes with electric blue.
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“We drew inspiration from various sources to create diverse looks, using the makeup color palette to harmonize with Ronald’s collection,” said Marcello Costa, head makeup artist. “We brought back the ’80s, ’90s and 2000s. We chose the makeup that references the last four decades for a refreshing reintroduction in 2025.”
Costa said he and the team aligned the makeup’s symmetry with the texture of each garment. “We focused on bold eyes with extravagant colors, blending complementary shades for a harmonious result,” Costa said. “Gold, red, black, purple and blue were the stars of this show. Freehand techniques were used to create texture on the eyes and layer colors.”
Coifs also varied.
“A big part of the hair looks were inspired by the work of the Dada movement that was active in the beginning of the 1900s. They had a way to trick the eye and let things seem something they were not,” said Bianca van Zwieten, head hairstylist. “We did hairdos that looked like headpieces or hats for Ronald’s show. The show was full of hats and hair pieces, and we wanted to extend that using the hair as an artform and translate hair to wearable pieces of art.”
Extra feathers, goat hair and jewelry helped elevate the creations.
“Next to this, we did looks with a strong ’90s supermodel vibe with big hair and amazing blowouts,” she continued. “That gave the looks old-school haute couture aesthetics. It gave the models a strong and feminine look that went perfect with Ronald’s strong collection.”
At Dior, Stephen Jones fashioned the black, spikey feathered hair accessories which ornamented models’ heads that otherwise had hair combed back with a center part. The idea with the beauty look was to channel a new Alice in Wonderland, a rebel in crinoline if you will.
Gold spangled models’ eyes at Imane Ayissi. Costa said: “For this season, I believe that gold is the next trend. I used a refined glitter, mixing rose, copper and yellow gold that could go with any color and could pick up each color palette.
For Gaurav Gupta, Marieke Thibaut, global senior artist at MAC Cosmetics, made models’ foreheads glow.
“This season’s look is inspired by the ethereal beauty of astral projection, transcending the ordinary to embrace the extraordinary,” she said. The designer shared her inspirational mood boards mixing mythological elements, fabrics, color palette and astral references.
“I played with textures and contrasts to emphasize the inner light on each models,” Thibaut said. “The skin was illuminated with techniques that enhance multidimensional reflections, creating a luminous yet soft finish. Natural features were sculpted with subtle contouring, while neutral and cool tones on the lips seamlessly complement each model’s complexion.”
Other striking beauty looks were noted on the couture runways of Armani Privée, Yuima Nakazato, Maison Sara Chra?bi and Peet Dullaert.
Launch Gallery: Dramatic Beauty Looks for Spring 2025 Couture Displays
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