We all remember the first time we saw a runway show. For most of us, it would have been flicking through the pages of our favorite glossy magazine. Then a few months later, we saw the same thing again. As we began to read the headlines, we realized that what we were looking at were trends. Then came the beauty —the hair and makeup— an ally to the clothes and their very own statement. Here, three creatives share when they first realized that trends existed, who inspired them and where beauty trends are heading now and in the future.
Nadia Tayeh, Makeup Artist
When did you first realize there were beauty trends?
The first time I realized beauty trends existed on a professional level was when I was a pre-teen, and I subscribed to Teen Magazine. At that time, magazines were the only outlet to discover the latest trends besides what we saw on celebrities on television. Also, watching Arab movie stars and singers on shows as a kid with my mom will always be a distinct memory. Their eyeliner and intense eye makeup looks always stood out to me and definitely inspired my work as a makeup artist today.
Is there a particular artist who first inspired you?
Working my very first fashion show in 2009 will always be surreal to me after growing up watching runway shows on TV. My first show was Desigual with renowned artist Val Garland, and I witnessed how she created a beauty look backstage which really set a trend in real life. That impact has always been inspiring to me.
Are beauty trends still as important or as relevant as they once were?
Beauty trends are now more prevalent than ever. With social media like Instagram and TikTok, people don’t even bother purchasing their favorite magazines to find the latest trends any more. It’s all over our phones when we open these apps. However, it can be negative, too. Trends move at a faster pace online now, and your feeds can be overly saturated, or make you feel like a look that you discovered a month ago is already outdated. You just have to filter out the noise and find what best suits you.
Andrea Brocca, Couture Designer
When did you first realize there were beauty trends?
Yes! It was a tiny AW04 Chanel campaign booklet. I was seven or eight, I think. A really kind sales lady gave it to me, and I treasured it because it was a little booklet with a pencil attached to it, and there were pages I could draw on. I treated it like a Bible! I used to always collect shiny little things that I loved in a drawer, kind of like a magpie… and I guess a pirate?!
Is there a particular artist who first inspired you?
Are beauty trends still as important or as relevant as they once were?
Absolutely, although now the trend turnaround is much quicker due to a more interconnected world because of social media.
Ilham Mestour, Hair Stylist
When did you first realize there were beauty trends?
The first time I realized the world of beauty had trends was definitely the 90s, in 1994. I started to work in a salon whose owner worked a lot in the fashion industry. He did a lot of shoots for fashion magazines and worked on Fashion Week. Every month, we got a stack of Vogue and other magazines, and we really had to sit down and go through it all. This is how I started to see the world of trends in fashion.
Is there a particular artist who first inspired you?
The most inspiring shows for me as a hairstylist, especially when it came to hair, were the one and only John Galliano & Alexander McQueen runways. For me, it’s hard to pinpoint one because, honestly, every season was such an inspiration and a dream.
Are beauty trends still as important or as relevant as they once were?
I don’t believe that beauty trends are still as important and relevant as they once were. More than ever, people are able to articulate themselves and their individual tastes, so they can pick and choose what trends resonate with them. I get inspired by everyone around me and by the beauty and things I see every day. I don’t necessarily sit and think about what the trend I want to set is. For me, it’s a very organic process. It’s time to take a step back from the hardcore year-to-year trend culture and have the chance to be a little more creative and follow your own feelings.
