The shift in the makeup sphere was definitely an unpredictable one but extremely advancing and futuristic. While last year was a quick lesson in minimalist beauty, this year redefines the technicolor and dramatic quotient of makeup. Gritty glamour definitely takes the front seat this year. The fashion week came and went in a smooth manner, leaving us with bookmark-worthy beauty moments, which were striking enough for us to meditate on. This year's trends were extravagantly seen at the FDCI X Lakme Fashion Week with celestial application of glitter, graphic liner, colour pops and much more. From electric pigments to futuristic neon shades, we decode runway beauty, trends and much more with celebrity makeup artist Daniel Bauer, the man who played a key role in creating tremendous looks at fashion week.
BTS: Creating The Perfect Runway Look
Flamboyant and flashy looks on the runway gave us a sense of rebellion and boldness within each look that we saw. Surreal glamour was the highlight of every show. In conceptualizing the look for Falguni Shane Peacock's show, "ultra-glam" was the word that kept coming up.
"As with any creative job, you need to work in a team, makeup needs to know what's happening with lighting, lighting needs to know about sound and so on. I think the best shows and the most iconic shows we've done over the years at the FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week have been when the makeup, sound, backstage, engineering teams have all worked together, for a single spectacular show that understands the language and concept we're all aiming for," says hair and makeup artist Daniel Bauer.
Ananya Panday's makeup look at the FDCI X Lakme Fashion Week
While we've witnessed future-forward silhouettes on the runway, for Daniel this was the perfect instant to go experimental.
"At the Lakmé Absolute Grand Finale with Falguni Shane Peacock, we knew exactly what the other elements were and what we needed to do so that every look could be its own individual showstopper," he says.
Post- Pandemic Runway Makeup - What's Next?
In the past few years, we witnessed the phygital displays of many events due to the pandemic-induced lockdown and this year the buzz was different as we returned to the runway in its physical edition. We saw a beautiful amalgamation of different aspects of fashion but the show definitely earmarked some striking beauty moments as well. With the pandemic affecting the regular structure of doing makeup, "bold and extra" are the keywords going forward.
As we look ahead at the future of beauty and makeup, the next new normal is all about experimenting and not limiting yourself. "Post pandemic there's a lot more experimentation going on. We're exploring so many looks, colours, shades and we're not playing it safe anymore," explains Daniel.
The Raging Trend: What's Hot This Season?
A shift in makeup choices post the pandemic is obvious and our experimental skills are testament to any look that we create. The revival of "let your eyes do all the talking" is stronger this season as we witness a beautiful concoction of minimalism and maximalist choices in one look.
"I love that everybody is playing with their eyes this season. It's no more about picking between loud eyes vs subtle lips or vice versa. You can now do both," says Daniel. It is all about creating a swoon-worthy look and about expressing yourself through the medium of your look. "It's about challenging the rules and creating looks that express our delight in coming back and meeting people, in going out and getting noticed in fashion and beauty," he adds.
Makeup Philosophy: Explore More
While some runway shows across the globe this year saw surreal skin and futuristic hair, some were all about the drama with bold hues, rhinestones, glitter quotient and much more. Technicolor was another thing that caught our eyes during the FDCI X Lakme Fashion Week. Clear cut experimentation and a futuristic approach has been the core of every look. "My makeup philosophy is making every look stand out," says Daniel.
Evolving in your line of work and passion keeps you going. "You need to keep growing, learning, evolving and trying new things so that you don't keep repeating what you have done before," states Daniel.
Talking about his favourite look from the fashion week, he says, "I had a great time working on every look we created here but the showstopper look we created for Ananya Panday at the Lakmé Absolute Grand Finale was immensely fun. It was all about exploration, futuristic creations that helped us explore more with the eyes. I loved working with the Lakmé Absolute Explore Eye Pencils."