Oh I know its been a long few weeks since I was able to post my dears. Milan and Paris rocked my world mentally, physically and emotionally. It was a world wind tour as usual – however this season I led a few nail teams backstage in both Milan and Paris…it was in a word AMAZING, EXHILARATING AND MIND-BLOWING; ok that’s 3 words.

 

Milan

I keyed 4 shows – Alberta Ferretti, Blumarine, Just Cavalli and Roberto Cavalli (although I didn’t meet the man/legend officially he was at the makeup/hair/nails test)

Alberta Ferretti - The collection was inspired by movement, liquid, water. For the nails I created a sheer opalescent wash of color, just so the nails would catch the sweetness of the light as the girls floated down the runway.

To create this mother of pearl effect I mixed M.A.C Pink Opal Pigment into M.A.C Overlacquer. We painted one coat to create a wash on the nails

 

Blumarine – the nails were kept simple and clean. I created a nail foundation using Matte Top Coat (we are test driving one backstage) M.A.C Mineralize Foundation Loose in Extra Light and a touch of Delicate Nail Lacquer. This created the perfect “manicured” nail. We massaged the hands – pushed back the cuticles and then painted one coat of this satin finish foundation on the nails.

 

Just Cavalli – This collection is full of color and gorgeous silhouettes… so the nails gave us a moment of pause…I used M.A.C Nail Lacquer in Quiet Time with Matte Top coat to give a suede finish to the nails which was the perfect accessory along with the shoes and bags

Roberto Cavalli – Nude is the new black except this time we added just a hint of color. Even if you aren’t a fashion nerd everyone knows Cavalli for his bold bright prints and definitive sexy silhouettes. It is the quintessential classic Italian fashion house. I mixed Matte Top coat, OverLacquer and a touch of M.A.C Nail Lacquer in Fiestaware and Snob just to pick up the dusty corals & pinks running through the collection.

Here are a few links for more info – although I think you have to be able to read Italian -

http://www.grazia.it/bellezza/backstage/blumarine-primavera-estate-2013-backstage

http://www.vogue.it/beauty/intervista-a-/2012/09/keri-blair-nail-art-mac-smalti-unghie

 

Paris

I keyed 3 shows in Paris Veronique Branquinho, A.F Vandevorst & Talbot Runhof. I mean who would have thought that little old me would be keying shows in Paris…(I always thought keying makeup would come first but I will take it!)

Veronique Branquinho – I haven’t worked on Veronique in many many seasons but one of the things I love about her is her vision and commitment to a creative collaboration. She asked me to create a polish that was a perfect match to the copper bracelets accessorizing the collection. I mixed M.A.C Copper Sparkle Pigment & Copper Metal Pigment into M.A.C Overlacquer to create the perfect copper-plated nails.

A.F Vandevorst – Lots of gold and black dominated this collection so the nails I created were a cool nude tone. I mixed up a batch of nude nail sensation using Matte Top coat, M.A.C Mineralize Foundation Loose in Extra Light, M.A.C Lacquer in Quiet Time and M.A.C Lacquer in Delicate.

http://www.thestar.com/living/fashion/article/1265183–paris-fashion-week-derick-chetty-gives-models-manicures-backstage

Talbot Runhof- This was a great show because I got to work along side one of my favorite fellow Senior Artists -John Stapleton. The collection was inspired by Hollywood Red Carpet beauty but with a focus on the it color of the season blue! Together we worked to create a makeup & nail combo that gave the girls graphic elegance with a hint of rock & roll justice. I mixed M.A.C Nail Lacquers in Spirit of Truth, Dark Angel and Formidable and then added a pinch of M.A.C Reflects Blue Pigment which resulted in the Mercedes Benz of Blues.

 

A little more shameless plugging never hurt anyone right?

Check out what Derick Chetty from the Toronto Star had to say, here