Rodarte Spring/Summer 2019 Beauty Look Breakdown

While flower crowns have become all but a punchline, Rodarte elevated the beauty look with a high fashion interpretation for its Spring/Summer 2019 show (its first return to New York Fashion Week after two years away in Paris). Models stunned in fresh floral arrangements woven into their hair in a rainbow assortment of colors. Combined with modern art-inspired makeup, it was a mind-bogglingly beautiful look. We went backstage to get all the details.

The hair, created by Odile Gilbert, was inspired by a rose garden and meant to look “romantic” and “undone” (a vibe only helped by the day’s rainy forecast). Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy wanted to maintain each models’ individuality, so some had extra long, wispy waves with roses knotted in, others had hair kept shorter but curled, while some had their natural texture incorporated into an updo or an afro. Everyone had a variety of large roses and small roses and additional headpieces and veils.

To get the look, stylists used the soon to be released Sultra After Hours 1-inch and 1.5-inch Clipless Curling Wands and alternated twisting hair towards and away from the face for a more natural finish. Hair was prepped all over with Tresemmé Fresh & Clean Dry Shampoo to add body, then Tresemmé Two Extra Hold Hair Spray to keep the curls from falling.

The makeup, created by lead makeup artist James Kaliardos using Nars, was equally dreamy. He took inspiration from visiting the Tate Modern’s Picasso 1932 exhibit in London. “It was so inspiring, and then Kate and Laura and I met and we were talking about colorful eye shadows, and then simultaneously Nars re-launched their eye shadows with these colors and it all fell into place,” he said backstage.

The arty influence shows with the choice of three vibrant shades picked: Douro (yellow) Domination (hot pink), and Baby Jane (turquoise blue). The colors were patted on in a softened, graphic brush stroke across the lids (Kaliardos explained he wanted a rectangular shape of color “without it looking [like] completely taped-on Instagram eyeshadow”). The hues popped with the help of Nars Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base, which he explained “will really make that pigment come out how you want it.”

While the roses and eye colors varied model to model, everyone interestingly wore the exact same lipstick shade: Powermatte Lip Pigment in Don’t Stop. Kaliardos picked it because it “looks quite graphic, like a Salvador Dalí painting.” He added, “It really works on everybody—I thought I’d have to use different colors on different skin tones. It goes on liquid and then it dries to a velvety matte and it looks good on every skin tone. It’s such an amazing color.”

Don’t sleep on the nails, either. Because Rodarte isn’t afraid to embrace a full beauty Look, there were three variations of metallic nails, each bedazzled with colored gems. Lead nail artist Eichi Matsunaga used three shades of Morgan Taylor nail lacquer for the bases: Could Have Foiled Me (silver), Give Me Gold (gold), and No Way Rosé (rose gold).

Take a closer look at the incredible beauty look, below.