Trends
Look Who's on Allure.com
It’s me! I was honored when Jessica from Allure’s Daily Beauty Reporter requested an interview for a post on summer nail trends. Even though she was under the weather and I had TERRIBLE phone reception it was great chatting with her about my favorite shades from the spring/summer collections. Head on over and check it out!
Fashion Forward with CND
The ribbon cutting to signify the official start of New York Fashion Week is less than 24 hours away. The backstage madness is about to begin for all the models, makeup artists, hair stylists and nail techs. And this season yours truly will be joining them to report the upcoming nail trends straight from the tents, as they’re happening. That’s right, I’ll be at Fashion Week!
So to get an idea of the kind of preparation and backstage frenzy that surrounds Fashion Week, I had a nice little chat with Roxanne Valinoti, CND’s Backstage Nail Team Manager. An accomplished nail artist who has worked with countless celebrities, Roxanne is an International Educator for CND who has been part of the Fashion Week team from the very beginning. During our talk, we not only discussed Fashion Week but also CND’s Spring trend forecast and manicure techniques.
Fashion Week
Last September, CND ascended on New York Fashion Week with a team of 20 artists to tend to more than 37,000 fingers and toes at 62 shows in only 10 days. Now that’s a lot of polish!
So what goes into the planning and preparation for taking on such a venture? Two months prior to show time the CND team starts working with the fashion designers to plan the right nail look to showcase their collection. And at the two week mark, a team of three artists get to work in CND’s production suite creating pre-made tips.
The creative process is a collaborative one between the designers and CND Co-founder and Style Director Jan Arnold. Even though each designer has a specific look they want to convey, Jan is always at the ready with ideas for different nail styles, designs and colors. When needed, colors will be custom blended to match a pantone or fabric swatch. Last season there were custom blended shades making their way down the runways at 3.1 Phillip Lim, Akiko Ogawa, Benjamin Cho, Costello Tagliapietra, Karen Walker, Malandrino, Ports 1961, Three as Four and Twinkle.
Then there are the designers that really take it to another level with custom designed nail tips. For example, when Kimora Lee Simmons announced the Russian theme for her Fall 2007 Baby Phat show, Jan showed her handmade badges she brought back from Russia. Kimora wanted them on every nail of the models hands but production for that would have taken months. In all 40 badges were made from a mix of liquid and powder that were then painted and embellished before being attached to each model’s thumbnail. Last season, L.A.M.B. had reverse french tips, Renee Larc requested a pink and white moon manicure and the Snoopy For Fashion charity show featured Peanuts characters. They were all created in advance and applied with a nail shield that peels off to prevent damaging the nailbed.
Trends
When it comes to nail trends, CND doesn’t follow them, they set them. And this is what they see for Spring 2008.
Healthy, clear pastel tints, like lip gloss for the nails
CND’s spring collection, Plexi Pop is filled with sheer, glossy shades, resembling lucite. They were shown on the models at BCBG, Behnaz Sarafpour, Chaiken, Chris Han, Douglas Hannant, Luca Luca, Peter Som and Rachel Roy just to name a few.
Bright pops of hot pink
Brights including pink popped on the runways at DKNY (Hot Pop Pink and Hot Pop Orange), Lyn Devon (Passsionfruit Poppy) and Pegah Anvarian (Studio 54, Burn and Orange-a-Peel).
Dark nails are the new classic for dressed up events
Chic dark tips and toes graced the scene at Badgley Mischka (Fedora topped with Decadence), Marchesa (Nail Noir), Max Azria (Limited Edition) and Proenza Schouler (Moroccan Ruby).
Techniques
Working in such a fast paced environment takes poise, patience, skill and the right products. Roxanne shared with me some of her favorite products and techniques for surviving the backstage insanity.
- 5-6 designers requested a matte finish. To achieve the look wait for you top coat to dry and hit it with the gray side of the girlfriend buffer.
- When it comes to mixing polishes, be careful. Roxanne suggests you stay within the same brand to avoid any dangerous chemical reactions.
- CND Air Dry is the preferred top coat for its shine and drying time even though Speedy is faster.
- CND Serenity is the backstage basic nude and all around go to color for a clean polished look.
So now that we’ve seen what Spring has to offer, I look foward to bringing you with me as I go backstage to see what Fall 2008 will be all about. Stay tuned!
Chrome-tastic Nails
To celebrate their silver anniversary, Nails Magazine had nail tech Tom Bachik create these mirrored silver tips.
Quite a few of you have been wanting to find a polish that dries to a perfect mirror finish. Regardless of the various “chrome” polishes that have come and gone on the market, nothing has ever come close to these.
The look was created using a product called Minx; a solid nail coating that comes in foil and sparkly metallics, photo-quality designs, and any color under the sun. Minx is made of film and not polish so they can be customized with any picture, photo, or logo.
Celebrities, including Beyonce at the American Music Awards, have had the coatings applied to complete their red carpet looks.
An added bonus to using Minx; they are a green product requiring only a heat source and gentle side-to-side peeling to remove them. You can leave the nail polish remover behind.
Minx nail services are only available at salons and spas so check out their Salon & Spa Finder for a location near you.
photos: Nails Magazine and Getty Images
International Nail Trends
As I start to focus on dark colors for fall, in the Southern Hemisphere our fellow nailies are gearing up for Spring and Summer. It’s so easy to forget that we aren’t all on the same page seasonally. Thanks to a lovely reader, H. from South Africa, we get to peek at the nail fashions from her part of the world.
Excerpt from: Watch Your Step by Sandie Cormie. Dischem Benefits Magazine, Spring 2007.
There was time when red toenails were taboo since this was associated with a certain profession. But thankfully, the generation responsible for preserving this notion is nearing extinction and we are free to wallow in glorious, rich reds without damaging the family name.
The colours for the season are bold and vibrant – fabulous reds, pinks and corals. Remember the fashion of the 60s where lively, psychedelic designs and colours pulsated from the pavements? It was a period of rebellion, liberation and new thinking, everything was orchestrated to generate fun, shock, and to elicit a reaction. It worked, and now the 60s are back!
But remember, bold, bright, colours draw attention so it it absolutely essential to have neatly-manicured feet. These lively colours look wonderful on darker skins and tanned feet. They will look sensational on a bare foot at the beach and around the pool and do great justice to the peep-toe espadrilles that will be strongly in evidence this season. Red, particularly, adds sophisticated drama to any animal print peep-toe shoe or sandal. These gorgeous colours will also be a knockout when worn with glitzy high-heeled sandals adorned with diamanté and coloured crystals – essential to making a statement at any party, wedding or evening celebration. Please – just remember the Cinderella principle!
The deep wine, red-black “gothic†colours remain very popular and are best suited to a short squared toenail on a pale and slender foot. It represents the dichotomy between bold and frail.
Metallics never lose their appeal and gorgeous golds, bronzes, coppers and pewters are still very glamorous. These colours look fabulous in any strappy or peep-toe sandal and will lend an air of contemporary sophistication whether you’re heading for the beach or the office.
The classic French manicure is eternally elegant on any foot. Neutrals represent elegance, grace and a stylish understatement that will never date.
Make Prada proud! Live is for living so have great fun trotting around in wedge heels, satin covered shoes, peep-toes, espadrilles, ankle ties, animal prints, diamanté et al! Be sure to shock people with your great sense of style, fun and those fabulously manicured and feminine feet.
While H. doesn’t necessarily agree with everything in this article she loves the idea of dark shades on pale feet. Personally I abhor the french pedicure but I agree that metallics are sophisticated and glamorous. It’s a shame they didn’t hit big this past summer here in the US.
Nubar Halloween Nail Art Pen Kit
The Trick or Treat Creativity kit from Nubar is perfect for your Halloween nail art needs. Like say, if you wanted to enter a certain CONTEST.
The set includes nail art pens in pumpkin orange, jet black creme and sunny lemon yellow and a bottle of Diamond Seal & Shine Top Coat. The tiny brushes on these nail art pens are perfect for detailing.
Ok now don’t laugh too hard but, I decided to try out the kit on a nail art wheel to see how easy they are to use. I’ve never attempted this type of detail before and even though my first try (seen below) isn’t exactly award worthy, it was fun to do. I suggest buying some blank press on nails or tips at your local drugstore or beauty supply to practice on.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
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