From meteorological mishaps to alien activity – we knew there was a reason backstage at PFW got a big thumbs up from us. Here are our favourite soundbites from the hair and make-up maestros behind the looks...
1. 'It's a take on Dancing With The Stars'
So explained hair legend Guido Palau backstage at Jean Paul Gaultier. What that meant in hair terms was a cacophony of coifs from trashy Madonnas to slicked John Travoltas (on Coco Rocha).
2. 'It's about feeling lost and out of place and not being sure of where or who you are. It's also a bit Bladerunner and Lost Boys.
So said Global Creative Director for Wella Professionals Eugene Souleiman backstage at Haider Ackermann. It may sound nonsensical but once we saw the technical hairdo (part sci-fi and part folklore) as well as the long asphalt-like catwalk (made to look like a road), it all came together.
3. 'It's based on the idea of going to a spa where one person is the caretaker and the other is the patient which then evolved into the idea of S&M'
Confused? All became clear once we saw the models' hairstylist James Pecis and make-up artist Alex Box were referring to backstage at Veronique Leroy. Divided into two characters, although the looks were similar, there was a definite hardness to the 'strong girls' and a cherubic quality to the 'sweet girls'.
4. 'She's a 70s pornstar who's been eating a banana so her lipstick's worn off. She's then gone into Oxfam to buy some clothes as its raining but whilst she's waiting for the bus on the way home she gets splashed.'
Now, you can't get better than that for a reference! Trust it to come from the weird and wonderful mind of our very own Vivienne Westwood. Make-up guru Val Garland who was interpreting Viv's request for 'seventies porn actresses' described how she still wanted the girls to look beautiful. So armed with MAC eyeshadows and bronzers she created slightly flushed, fresh skin before splashing it with brown acrylic.
5. 'Think punk mixed with Californian surfer as well as a comment on over-fishing'
In make-up terms, this equated to a blunt white slash of eyeliner which was supposed to represent the crest of a wave. 'When you hear 'punk' most people automatically think black, but punk is actually about being the opposite of everyone else – so that's why I went for white,' said Aaron De Mey backstage at Kenzo. He also explained that it complimented the oceanic theme of the collection.
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