Beauty_Forecast Rational

Beauty S/S 14Taking inspiration from Léa Peckre’s creations and Tom Dixon’slighting, the beauty world goes in search of the perfect equation,inspiring origami structures and digital botanical art. Rational casts aspell on the season, cloaking the beauty world in spirographicmakeup and technical origami hairstyles.

Trend Palettes organized into color families for an overview of the seasonColor Families

Almond Cream Milky Skin Rose Water Chestnut Auburn Mercury Grey Soft Emerald Ashy Blue

* Please refer to Pantone paper or cloth swatches for accurate color rendition

LOOKBeautiful ArithmeticBe inspired by, and lose yourself to, the wonderfully complexworlds of: Robert J. Lang’s geometrical figures; the intricatestructures of Yuko Nishimura’s origami; and the 3D volumesof talented designer, Wei Ting Liang.

HAIR IBeautiful ArithmeticHairstyles look to nature’s own mathematical proportions as aguideline, drawing up divine designs. Logarithmic lines spiralthrough hair, while the bun is wrapped to perfection, inspiredby the golden ratio and Fibonacci mathematics. Two-toneash blond colors are key.

HAIR IIBeautiful ArithmeticGraphics and mathematics merge together to generatecomplex trigonometric structures. 3D geometric shapes createoptical effects that border on illusions. Stripes and elasticsinject further structure, while ash blond and soft chestnut colorsclearly display the intricate work.

HAIR IIIBeautiful ArithmeticFocus all attention on crimped hair inspired by accordionfolds and the art of origami folding. Dove blond and pastelrose colors accentuate the fine, intricate undulations createdby crimping techniques.

FOUNDATIONBeautiful ArithmeticMilky foundation appears in silky nude hues, flushed withtinted rose water colors. Pale slate tinged with a hint ofsycamore green also seeps onto the scene.

EYESBeautiful ArithmeticFusing inspiration from Mario Schwab’s embroidered logosand Chanel’s motif, a graphical spirograph accent, simulatinga small tattoo, hovers around the eye. Employ Veronesegreen and rose petal pink, while metallic reflections should bematte finished.

LIPSBeautiful ArithmeticLips appear to have been dunked in pools of mercury. Withlavish application, liquid-looking oil-swirling silver lipsticksglisten fiercely.

NAILSBeautiful ArithmeticNails opt for shades of emerald green and mercury lending afuturistic feel. With a wet-liquid look, nail polish seems tohave been drawn from inner earth.

COLOR APPLICATIONBeautiful ArithmeticHairstyles become works of art. The roller bun is sophisticatedand structured, while metal rings punctuate the 3D geometricpatterns, reinforcing mathematical precision. Complexions arefresh with smoky green eyes and a mercury mouth.

LOOKOptical PolishThis look invites us to take a conceptual lesson in Op Art – allunder the influence of über contemporary designer VictorVasarely and graphic designer Rodrigo Almeida. Playwillingly with bold lines for a beautiful harvest of designs, asevidenced by Alexander Wang’s latest show.

HAIR IOptical PolishAn angular cut focuses on structure with an ultra-sharp linerunning down center partings. Bold graphic lines arehighlighted using black, anthracite and powdery white hues.

HAIR IIOptical PolishMathematical formulas give rise to mesh-like structuresbringing a digital mapping style to this look. Hair is smoothedto perfection and gathered in a clean, clinical ponytail, tamedby a uniform mesh metal holder.

FOUNDATIONOptical PolishFoundations come in basic nude hues. Tints of satin rosestrategically illuminate the cheekbones for a pearly finish.Packaging strongly reflects this rational trend withmonochrome graphic prints.

EYESOptical PolishGeometricize the contours of the eyes with heavy sweeping flicksthat command attention. Waxy triangular shapes are stretchedacross the lid of the eye for added detail, while eyebrows are full ofcharacter with elongated angular lines. A concoction of silver,anthracite, ivory and smoky blues deepens the look.

LIPSOptical PolishLips are discreet, delicately stained with nude pink.Color takes a backseat allowing hair and eyes tomaintain the limelight.

NAILSOptical PolishNails become fun and frivolous with black and white OpArt. Tiles and window patterns are a key trendemerging, as confirmed by the likes of Emily Seul KiUhm and Eefje Wijnings.

COLOR APPLICATIONOptical PolishMake-up turns to radical abstract beauty. The traditional bowlcut is transformed into the new geometric bob. Triangularfringes are key, as is the long rectangular tab that runs downthe side of the face. Triangular shapes should shade theeyes, while lips are kept pretty in plain pink.

Science boosts performance as well as the emotions

The laboratory aesthetic: the ultimateobject of desire

As high-end cosmetic groups have claimed the pseudo chic palette ofblack, white and gold, and the mass market employs a characteristicallycolorful approach, the sobriety of the lab becomes aesthetically pleasingand represents a blueprint for niche independent brands. With little or noadvertising budget, it’s logical that these brands give their full attention topackaging and to retail spaces as – press exempt – it is their main channelof communication. Le Labo (1) has chosen to underline this approach,firstly with the choice of name, but also with flacons with test-tube-stylelabels. Aesop (2), simultaneously, has built a remarkable brand identitysince its inception in 1987 with uniformly different stores, created by youngaudacious architects, along with its signature brown (surprisingly plastic)containers. The Australian brand having intensified its development inrecent years, has unsurprisingly started to use its website as an advertisingplatform. It was here that Morphē (3) was unveiled at the beginning ofSeptember. The short film by artist and “body architect” Lucy McRae (whoalso designed the Swallowable Perfume (4) concept in partnership with thebiologist Sherif Mansy) succeeds in exploiting the advances in cellularbiology (inspired by the scientific works of Hermann von Helmholtz, in the19th century. With the essential Aesop touch, the result becomes highlysexy…

Inventing new perfumed rituals toextend the product range

What are the consequences of the democratization of perfume? Is it thatolfactive signatures are no longer limited to the body or clothing but alsobegin to infiltrate interiors? At the Fondazione Prada in Venice, ambitiousexhibitions delicately visit scent, accompanied by wafting scents of thePrada signature Infusion d’Iris fragrance. After perfuming retail spaces,must we pay attention to cultural spaces? One thing is certain: perfumersare more and more tempted by the idea of stretching their offering to theinteriors market. If this approach works, and equally improves turnover,there are many new perfume rituals that are emerging, especially withregard to innovative scent diffusers. After the cult Fleur Mécanique diffuser(1) by Frédéric Malle, which appears this autumn in black or aluminumgrey, it is the turn of Dyptique to create a new product with its Le Sablier(2) (designed by Sébastien Servaire at R’Pure Studio) that, each time it isturned, launches a 20 minute cycle of perfuming. The trend is resolutelycrossover and even tech-geeks are not forgotten with the USB key calledScentsation (3) by Oregon Scientific that connects directly with a computerto diffuse a cocktail of essential oils at work, to create a fragrant journey.

Philosophy and alchemy; are they alternativesto the over-promises of science?

We are becoming increasingly suspicious of performance skincare brands,as we automatically apply a big pinch of salt to highly publicized products.Lancôme, a branch of L'Oréal, was recently ordered by the FDA to tonedown its latest anti-aging cream advert, which claimed to “boost the activityof genes and stimulate cell regeneration” arguing that the border betweencosmetics and medication had been crossed. In Greece and Germany, twoniche brands have found an interesting strategy to circumvent the pitfalls ofthis kind of argument, while remaining under the umbrella of science. Note,however, that neither advertises, preventing both companies from beingexposed to the laws of the health legislators. The first, Philab, (1) chose theGreek letter Phi Φ as a logo, representing the divine proportions of theGolden Ratio. By means of their logo, Philab subliminally stipulates that theperfection of the skin rests on the utilization of its anti-aging range utilizingthe essential active trio of the moment: lightweight molecular hyaluronicacid, peptides and vitamins. Present in Asia, especially in Hong Kong butfounded in Berlin by Gerd Gerken, the very luxurious brand Noesa (2)defines itself as a range of cell care rather than skincare. Also, the usageof repeated highly scientific terms, like biophotons and alchemetics, and theinsistence on the star house ingredient – Danadem – protected by ninepatents increases the scientific feel of the brand. All of this is accompaniedby biological symbols passed through the prism of the most chic graphics inthe brand’s brochure.