Makeup, especially around the eyes, was more prevalent than ever on the Paris catwalks during the men’s ready-to-wear season for spring 2024.
“[It challenges] traditional beauty norms,” said makeup artist Stéphanie Kunz. “These innovative styles and trends have the potential to influence street fashion, as society becomes more accepting of diverse expressions of beauty and self-expression. As people embrace these changes, we may see men adopting more adventurous and creative makeup looks in their everyday lives.”
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Others agreed.
“As a makeup artist, I’ve noticed an exciting change on the Paris runways. There’s been a greater focus on bold looks for men, featuring a wide variety of styles like vibrant colors, gradient effects, shimmery finishes, iridescent elements and decorative details,” said Mandy Gakhal. “It’s inspiring to see more men embracing makeup as a way to express themselves.
“While these bold runway looks are rooted in artistic expression, rather than solely gender identity, they continue to inspire and empower individuals to celebrate their individuality and express themselves through makeup in truly extraordinary ways,” she continued.
Kunz headed up makeup for the Jeanne Friot show. It included one look with eye shadow under eyes, running down a model’s face, and others used blues, greens and iridescent hues. She said they “drew inspiration from the ocean to create a captivating and enchanting appearance.
“The goal was to evoke the beauty and colors found in underwater life while promoting sustainability,” said Kunz.
For Sean Suen, Gakhal created a look where some male models had a swath of white coloring spread over a corner of their face, over an eye, while in another, black paint was spattered around the eyes, almost like a mask. “The inspiration behind the fashion collection was dreams and falling into samsara, the wheel of life, death and rebirth,” she said. “The look for the eye was driven by the concept of multidimensional space, whilst the skin was kept fresh and dewy.
“By employing a combination of stencil brushes, toothbrushes, face paints and products like Danessa Myricks Colorfix, I was able to bring the spray paint effect to life,” she continued. “The result was a visually striking and unique makeup look that captivated the attention and showcased the beauty of artistic expression.”