Andrew Gn Paris Split - H 2014
Rhonda RichfordFor his spring/summer 2015 show, Singapore-born, Paris-based designer Andrew Gn made a nod to his Asian heritage with a bright, whimsical modern-geisha collection that featured kimono sleeves and obi-inspired bow belts.
With its pop of color and florals, the collection seemed as ebullient as the designer himself. While the collection felt bright and youthful, the designer wanted to stick with classic makeup. He collaborated with longtime friend Karim Rahman for a makeup look that he said is both “quite feminine and masculine at the same time” — a simple complexion with bold brows and lips.
(Photo: AP Photo/Michel Euler)
“In the show there is a bit of a Japanese feeling, not in a literal way but a hint of it, as well as an attitude. It’s not too feminine though; there’s a little bit of androgyny there.”
To achieve the look, Rahman started with translucent skin with just a touch of highlighter on the cheekbone to give the complexion a subtle glow, and added a bit of beige shadow on the eye to focus attention on the two strong features of the look.
On the brows, he started by shaping with a pencil before layering L’Oreal’s Brow Artist Plumper in clear and then finishing with several coats in textured brown. “It creates thickness and gives you this beautiful texture as well,” he said.
Following with the brand’s Rouge Extraordinare in the signature color he created for French actress Leila Bekhti, Rahman painted on the matte red in a subtle bow shape before dabbing the center with a touch of matching gloss. “It’s a geisha spirit,” he said of the look.
Makeup has moved away from the gloss popular over the past several years, with new technology making mattes less drying and more comfortable, he said. “It’s more than a trend; matte red is becoming the new classic. It’s what we call intemporel in French — timeless.”
(Photo courtesy of Rhonda Richford)
