At Tome, the model’s je ne sais quoi translates from the casting to the runway. “All the girls, and all the people that are in this show, are all individual,” says Global Creative Director for Aveda Antoinette Beenders backstage at Tome. Her styling emphasizes that there is tremendous beauty in what makes us unique. It is not about changing the hair, but embracing it. “There’s not a standard model, there’s not a standard size—it’s anybody and everybody, and they’re all gorgeous in their own right,” Beenders continues. Indeed, this look centers on the girl as-is—her uniqueness is embraced and hair is left natural. To prep locks and enhance texture, Beenders applies about a quarter-size dollop of Aveda Damage Remedy Split End Repair to ends. If a girl has waves, Beenders will make hair “a bit wavier,” for afros—“a bit bigger.” Hair is sprayed with Aveda Thickening Tonic and Aveda Air Control to exaggerate the natural texture. “They’re gorgeous, so why change it?” she says. “It’s fashion for everyone.”
Tome’s spring collection features prints culled from Piece & Co., a women’s collective in India, and some pieces, like a white shirt and skirt boasting red-and-black tribal graphics, look culled from another land. For the makeup, a nod to this tribal influence comes through by way of MAC Lead Makeup Artist Diane Kendal painting on MAC Chromacake in White with a Duo Fibre Fan Brush #184 on the side of the face, from the cheekbones to just above the brow. To even out skin tone, Kendal uses MAC Studio Waterweight Foundation. She fills in eyebrows when necessary; otherwise, a brush and a groom with MAC Clear Brow Set suffices. “We’re using a blush just to make them look healthy,” she remarks. Lips are kept, “very light,” lining with a pencil and then blending with a finger.
A key part of this fresh, natural look is flawless skin. “It’s a matte hydration,” notes Tata Harper of her eponymous skincare line. “It’s about the health of the skin, so we wanted to make it super moisturized. We wanted to get rid of the dead skin cells,” she explains. She begins the regimen with Tata Harper Refreshing Cleanser to “get the skin glowing.” Harper then sprays the face with Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence, which she reveals is the most requested product during Fashion Week. Next, she applies Tata Harper Restorative Eye Crème around lips and brows, “just to smooth things out,” she notes.
[Image credits: Courtesy of Aveda; Emilie Branch]
