Haute Couture Beauty Lessons A/w 2011

Posted: 08/07/11

Jennifer Barton

Follow: Beauty, Hair, Haute Couture Aw 2011, Makeup

What's not to love about couture week? Impeccable craftsmanship, fantastical designs, striking beauty looks... while it's not exactly accessible, it's the stuff our fashion dreams are made of.

A dress with a starting price at £30K is something we may never achieve, but we've got the runway-to-reality couture beauty looks in the bag. Fortunately, the makeup and hair showcased this season - from variations on the smoky eye to nude lips and enhanced brows - translate easily from catwalk to cosmetics counter (well, for the most part).

Check out the top beauty lessons we've learned from the couture shows which we'll be integrating into our beauty routines come autumn. Ready, set, apply!

Haute couture a/w 2011 beauty lessons

Valentino
 Lesson 2: Milkmaid hair is haute The dreamy confections swooping down the catwalk at Valentino for a/w 2011 had us fantasising about sumptuous laces and delectable devore velvets. Hair-wise, we were coveting the variations on Heidi braids, evocative of Russian princesses. Models looked otherworldly with plaited buns secured at the nape of the neck with gold wreath-like headpieces (and embellished jewels in their buns) and a strand or two of loose hair framing the face. This look says modern-day princess – and you don’t need to be Duchess Kate to achieve it. The messy plait-bun with a loose strand is an easy look to replicate in reality, but be sparing with accessories (a jewelled barrette at the side of the bun makes for a great accoutrement, especially for wedding season). Tiara-style headpieces look great on the catwalk but are hard to pull off in real life.
Jean-Paul Gaultier and Armani Prive
 Lesson 3: Wing it Perhaps it’s to do with the return of 60s silhouettes for autumn, or maybe the vamp is just back with a vengeance, but winged eyeliner was spotted all over the couture catwalks, from Jean-Paul Gaultier’s rebel ballerinas to Armani Prive’s geisha girls. The designers showcased two different ways to do the look. At Gaultier, inspired by 50s dancer Zizi Jeanmaire, it was dramatic stage diva all the way with an accentuated brow, ultra-pale powder and a bright red lip, while eyes were given a white base topped off with fine winged eye liner and falsies. At Armani, the modernised, rock and roll geisha look was more delicate with two dark lines coming off the eyes and an orange-hued shadow. It’s tough to achieve perfect winged liner in reality (always the worry about lopsided wings), so use a light eye pencil to sketch out the look on your face before pulling out the makeup brush. Also remember that a little goes a long way, so don’t overdo it. And if you’re keen to try the Armani look but worried an orangey shadow is going to make you look like you’re suffering from pink eye, try bronze instead.
Dior
 Lesson 4: Go colour-crazy The clothes and makeup at Dior this season  were a little all over the place (the house still hasn’t appointed a creative director after John Galliano’s ousting from the label) and beauty-wise, we saw everything from candy floss hair to sequinned eyebrows to Crayola, pop art-y colours on models. Since going-out makeup should be about playfulness and fun, we love the idea of bold red lips contrasting with pink and turquoise eyes, with some black winged liner thrown in for added drama. The key to translating this look to real life is to try bold hues in moderation. A neon pink or orange pout is brilliant with a bare face (and also super summery). Or emphasise the eyes with contrasting poppy colours, but keep the rest of the look simple.
Elie Saab and Giambattista Valli
 Lesson 5: Glow girl Some couture beauty looks this season were (surprisingly) all about highlighting a natural beauty, and designers like Elie Saab and Giambattista Valli did pared-down makeup with an emphasis on nude lips and a bold brow. Use an illuminator on cheeks to get a luminous, otherworldly glow for day or night, and make sure your brows are well-groomed. Team your immaculate-looking skin with tousled, slightly messy waves (like Saab’s girls). Too much perfection is a turn-off, after all.
Stephane Rolland
 Lesson 6: The colour purple Stephane Rolland’s woman is a vamp next season, wearing sculptured creations with high drama details made of elaborate silk ruffles and gold tube decorations. Models also sported an ultra-dark, smoky winged eye with a dramatic plum-coloured pout – the purple lip is back for autumn. For a day look, work purple with a bare face and a touch of mascara – add a flick of eyeliner for evening. And beauty mavens keep an eye out – YSL is launching a delicious new limited edition violet hue for autumn.
Chanel
 Lesson 1: Smoky gets sparkly The smoky eye is a perennial favourite for the vampish and sexy evening look and at Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld’s recreated Place Vendôme-by- night set the stage for dramatic after-hours makeup (hence the veil ‘burglar' masks models sported). The eyes were undoubtedly the stars of the beauty look, despite being obscured by lace, and sparkled like a night sky with black-as- midnight shadow with sparkles in it, just like twinkling stars. Take the look into reality by sweeping dark shadow across the lids and beneath the lash line (the Chanel makeup artists used a new shade of Illusion d’Ombre eye shadow launching this autumn). Let your eyes do all the twinkling by keeping the rest of the face clean and fresh with a peachy glow and a paleish lip. Leave the lace bandit mask at home… or for a dramatic night out, opt for a pair of lace false eyelashes.