Instep Desk

It is that glorious time of the year when New York Fashion Week hits the refresh button for fashionistas all over the world. Out with the old, in with the new – NYFW is the perfect place to catch up on all beauty and hair trends that will become big in the coming year. Although politics have now made their way to the runway, with almost every other designer opting to make a political statement through their work, thankfully there were some designers and stylists who dedicated their work purely to fashion and beauty. This year’s runway provided ample relief in terms of exciting, new looks and if you’re tired of red lips and smokey eyes, read up on how else to do up your face, taking cue from the maestros.

Tory Burch

While the belted ponytail has been seen on the runway before, it was Tory Burch’s spin on the trend that made the look extremely fashionable and nostalgic. The models sported oversized black velvet ribbon hair bows, created by stylist Guido Palau. The fuss-free hairstyle is welcomed by us since it doesn’t require hours of prep time or a variety of fancy products.

Prabal Gurung

The Prabal Gurung models wore sharply futuristic cat eyes in a wide variety of colours: cyan, green, red, sky blue, orange and navy. "It’s unconventional, out of the norm, outside the box," the makeup artist Diane Kendal said. According to Vogue.com, Kendal also said that Gurung, inspired by the women’s rights movement past and present, wanted the cast to look "really strong and powerful. He didn’t want to do conventional ‘beautiful’ makeup."

Brandon Maxwell

The smokey eye has been done to death but stylists for Brandon Maxwell found a way to make the classic look relevant and innovative by using different shades of metallic eyeshadows merged with black. "We are embracing the difference in the looks; it’s the same makeup with different colours," says makeup artist Tom Pecheux, who created the metallic eye makeup. "I love the fact that it’s the same, but it’s not the same colour. Like human beings - we are the same, but we are all different colours."

Oscar De La Renta

Hairstylist Orlando Pita found Oscar De La Renta’s collection filled with youthful energy, which is what he tried to recreate in terms of the hair. "It’s really Oscar for a younger girl," he said. Wanting the perfect rebellious hairstyle for the collection, Pita went for the ponytail, which according to him, every mother of a growing teenage girl would object to. The electric pop of color of hot pink and pastel blue swept across the lid was the perfect combination for this playful eye.

Jonathan Simkhai

Jonathan Simkhai created one of the biggest fashion statements by using the smallest accessory possible. A tiny white pearl was glued to the inside corner of the model’s eyes. The detail was in harmony with the pearl embellishments in Simkhai’s fall collection. Also, while muted matte lip colours have been a runway favourite lately, Simkhai’s models were seen rocking boldly glossy lips.

Jeremy Scott

The stylists for Jeremy Scott decided to keep things simple yet innovative for the models on the runway. While the makeup was otherwise fresh and neutral, with the stylists using soft tones of peach and pink on the lips, it was the cartoonish lashes and insanely bright red nail colour that made this look a hot favourite for many. "The finished look is part flower child, part spooky (but cute) doll," said makeup artist Kabuki, who cut up the M.A.C. 7 Lash into pieces and glued them along the lower lash line.