New York Fashion Week (NYFW) has officially ushered in the Fall/Winter 2025 season, showcasing a bold range of beauty trends that are already influencing the upcoming season’s aesthetics. From whimsical animal-inspired details to striking ’90s-inspired makeup, the runway was alive with experimentation. Here’s a look at the key beauty moments that took center stage this year.
1. Animal-Inspired Details at Collina Strada
At Collina Strada, makeup artist Dick Page drew inspiration from the bold prints in the collection, creating a striking leopard print across models’ foreheads and jawlines. Using Ilia’s Clean Line Gel Liner in Twilight, Page freehanded the spots, adding a playful yet artistic touch to the look. Complementing the makeup, crimped hair styled into horns added another layer of wild creativity. At Luar, nail artist Naomi Yasuda paid homage to the show’s duck theme, decorating nails with fluffy faux feather press-ons painted in OPI’s Black Onyx, Alpine Snow, and Livin’ la Vida Mocha. Meanwhile, Thom Browne’s show featured a high-drama look with emerald green feathers attached to lashes by makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench, creating a striking, fringed effect.
2. Unexpected Shimmer at Marc Jacobs and More
Shimmer made an appearance in unexpected forms, from pop art-inspired designs to subtle gleams. Marc Jacobs’ show, conceptualized by Pat McGrath, featured precision beauty spots, with velvet and glitter used to create doll-like red lips and cheeks. At Eckhaus Latta, Fara Homidi paired “après ski goggled-sunkiss” skin with iridescent “eye glints” at the inner corners. Christopher John Rogers introduced a futuristic touch with “galactic lips,” where makeup artist Alex Levy layered MAC’s Dazzleshadow Extreme and Clear Lipglass for a foil-like shimmer.
3. Swirly and Sculpted Hair Looks
This season’s hair trends were marked by dramatic swoops and structured twists. At Christian Siriano, Lacy Redway crafted “trackside twists,” featuring slicked-back knots with ribbon-like details. Collina Strada saw braided styles with artistic loops framing the face, while at Christopher John Rogers, Sonny Mollina created side-swept bangs with deep parts, channeling a Veronica Lake-inspired vibe. Anna Sui’s runway featured retro-inspired bumper bangs, reminiscent of Bettie Page and Dita Von Teese, set in place with R+Co BLEU Cult Classic Flexible Hairspray.
4. ’90s Matte Finish Reigns Supreme
The iconic soft-focus finish of the ’90s dominated the runway this season. At Ulla Johnson, a velvety matte finish was achieved using Sisley’s Blur Expert 1 Beige powder. Khaite models sported smooth, radiant skin, thanks to Monastery’s Aloe Gel Serum and NARS Light Reflecting powders. At Kim Shui, makeup artist Romero Jennings sculpted cool-toned, matte faces with frosty eyeshadow shades like MAC’s White Frost and Cozy Grey. Meanwhile, at Luar, a ’90s-inspired look combined smoky eyes with nude lips, evoking a “supermodel glam meets DIY club drag” aesthetic.
5. Elevated Hair Sculptures at Marc Jacobs and Meruert Tolegen
Marc Jacobs took hair to new heights with towering curls sculpted into undulating shapes that evoked an old-world romantic feel. Meruert Tolegen’s show featured even more intricate hairstyles, with winding twists and braids stacked into gravity-defying sculptures. Thom Browne’s show showcased elaborate fascinator-like hair designs with bow-tied shapes that felt truly otherworldly, solidifying the season’s trend toward dramatic, high-impact hairstyles.
As New York Fashion Week concludes, these beauty moments are setting the stage for the trends to come. With bold makeup and imaginative hairstyles taking center stage, this season’s beauty looks are a true testament to creativity and experimentation. Keep an eye on these trends as Fashion Month unfolds.
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