While celebs commonly fill the front row seats and front of houses at many NYFW shows, they’re rarely seen backstage prepping to strut their stuff down the runways. But at the Go Red For Women/The Heart Truth Red Dress Collection fashion show, TV personalities, actresses, models, singers and athletes swarm the backstage area as they ready to go red and rock the runway to raise awareness for heart disease. Think: Bella Thorne; Ireland Baldwin; Lindsey Vonn; and Giada De Laurentiis to name a few. Dressed in red robes (while waiting to slip into crimson dresses made by designers like Carolina Herrera, Catherine Malandrino, Oscar de la Renta and Donna Karan), some of the stars get catwalk-primped by stylists working diligently to bring out each celeb’s unique style.
“We’re just enhancing everyone’s great personality and individual beauty,” shares Cutler/Redken Lead Hairstylist Jenny Balding while working on singer Joan Jett’s tresses. “I love Joan’s hair. I love her! I don’t want to change anything—I just want to enhance her!” The Redken team relies on texturizing sprays like Wax Blast 10, Fashion Work 12 and Control Addict 28 for the all stars locks, which range from edgy and sleeked back to soft, beachy curls.
“When you’re working on a show like this with a lot of celebrities—people that have a recognized image in the industry—they have such a great look already established,” explains Sarah Lucero, lead makeup artist for Stila. “So we just want them to look and feel beautiful and runway-ready. When you walk, you want to feel and look sexy!” With the entire line of products on hand, it’s anything goes for the celebs faces. The only thing uniform about their looks is beautiful, modern-looking makeup and radiant, luminous and healthy skin. “The only other consistency may be a little extra glam,” says Lucero. “So some may have a little sparkle or jewel tone popped on the eye. It adds just a little extra bling to catch the light—and it looks so dressed up and so sexy!”
It’s up to the stars to choose whether or not they want to sport lacquer on their digits. “Once they see our Essie shirt, they’re like ‘I want a manicure!,’” exclaims Michelle Saunders, one of the lead techs for Essie (Julie Kandalec is also at the helm). Essie has their entire collection of pink and red polishes handy for whatever the celebs’ hearts may desire—in as many coats as they want whether for fingers, toes or a combination of both. Some stars take the polish plunge, picking colors ranging from blush to cherry red to deep, dark burgundy. Imagine: Jett with Wicked; Taryn Manning with A-List mixed with Bordeaux; Colbie Caillat with Limo-Scene; and Baldwin with Lollipop. “It’s really exciting back here,” says Saunders. “Everyone knows and loves Essie!” —Molly Church
[Images courtesy of Essie]
