FASHION Magazine

Hyper-pigmented golds, subtle silvers, dusty coppers—the list goes on and on. Metallics certainly have a range that ensures they appear on beauty trend reports season after season. In the last few weeks for instance, Fall 2012 runways have revealed a preference for rich jewel tones and duo-chromatic shades. But before we jump ahead, now’s the time to get glitzed up in spring’s favourite metallic: bronze.

How can I update my makeup bag for spring without breaking the bank?
I love the notion of jumpstarting the season with your makeup choices, especially when exciting and inspiring colours are popping up in new nail polishes and lipsticks. However, showing some restraint while scouring the stores will save you a pretty penny and possibly even buyer’s regret.

While in New York last week, I had the chance to check out Chanel’s Spring Couture collection at an exclusive showing at the brand’s Upper East Side office. And if you’ve ever seen that kind of handiwork up close, you’ll understand me when I say wowza! The last time I saw such exquisite beading…  actually, what am I talking about? I’ve never seen such exquisite beading! With that kind of visual splendour, the question is never really “how much is too much?” The all-blue collection looked as coolly serene as ever in the replicated airline setting. The pieces would float on air, that is, if the fifty-pound beading didn’t bring them down to earth.

Have a look for yourself, and be prepared to be wowed »

From ladylike lace to clashing prints, we present your complete guide to the top runway looks, the must-have items of the season and more!

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JUMP TO A TREND BELOW:

FEMININITY

UNDERWATER

SPORT

FLORALS

TRIBAL

PRINTS

BLACK & WHITE

ORANGE

WAISTLINE

ACCESSORIES

It may only be February, but spring is certainly in the air. And you know what else is in the air this time of year? Love! With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, there’s no better a time to treat yourself and change up your beauty routine. We’ve plucked two of our favourite looks from the Spring 2012 runways that are sure to spark your interest: bright-purple eyes at Peter Som and Cacharel, and Anna Sui’s very romantic pink cheeks and eyes. Read on to learn more about each one and see the products that will help you duplicate the looks at home!

Add a little va-va-voom to your Valentine’s beauty! »

By David Livingstone

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Louis Vuitton show for Spring 2012 opened with the tinkling of a music box and the rising of a scrim to reveal a carousel carrying girls in pale dresses on cream-coloured ponies. It might have seemed a saccharine set-up, but such a response could just be a bad case of not getting it. The news of the season is gentle news. That’s what Marc Jacobs got so right at Louis Vuitton. All the white and those whitened pastels—a key colour trend, favoured by both traditionalists such as Ralph Lauren and more experimental types such as Christopher Kane and Hussein Chalayan—might have appeared to be borrowed from a bag of miniature marshmallows. But the candied palette was not there simply to satisfy a sweet tooth. It also appeals to a Bluetooth appetite when dished out in fabrics that are marvels of modern technology—things like foam organza, silk cellophane and laser-cut leatherette. For the theory-minded, it’s tempting to conclude from the fact that we live in times when you see toddlers dressed in skull patterns and infants swaddled in camo-print blankets that it’s only logical their moms should start playing with pink and baby blue.

Photorealism, watercolours, freehand sketches, and computer-engineered florals bring originality and emotion to spring’s most eye-catching designs.

View the shoot »

Check out our shopping list of the sugary pastels, neon punches, and the surf prints that need to be in your closet this spring.

See our 30 picks now! »

From ladylike lace to colourful clashing prints, we present your complete guide to Spring 2012’s freshest new runway looks.

Start the slideshow »

VIEW BY TREND: SUGAR HIGH | WATER WORLD | GOOD SPORT | FULL BLOOM | CONCRETE JUNGLE | MIX MASTER | GRAPHIC CONTENT | ORANGE CRUSH | WAISTLAND | FINISHING TOUCHES

Couture week has come to a close and we have a few brief moments to absorb this last showing of Spring trends before moving on to a new season. Next week, Fall 2012 presentations begin in New York (and we’ll be there!) so until then, let’s look back at the beauty from Paris.

While we’ve already fallen in love with the blue nails and eyes at Chanel and wondered if Jean Paul Gaultier’s homage to Amy Winehouse was apropos, there’s much more beauty to obsess over. Indeed, couture week is known for celebrating the avant-garde—what, the faces fully painted in pastel brights at Alexis Mabille didn’t convince you? We scoured the shows and uncovered a handful of new beauty trends you’ll actually want to try at home.

Bring on the beauty! »

Get a closer look! »

That blue makeup you invested in during the fall? It’s about to get a lot more mileage. From eyes to nails, everything was as blue as the sky at Chanel’s haute couture show today. (Not to mention the show itself: guests boarded “Chanel Air”—a set staged to look like they were flying in a custom luxury jet.)

While we wait for confirmation on the products used backstage, let’s discuss two things:

Bring on the lipstick! See all the posters »

When you think of beauty trends, weight loss commercials are generally not the first (or even second, third, or fourth!) thing that comes to mind. However, we can’t stop watching this French ad for Weight Watchers—all because of its stunning makeup artistry. Created by Parisian agency Fred & Farid, the commercial and posters are a huge departure from anything we’ve see this side of the Atlantic. Gone are the approachable spokeswomen and their before and after poses. Instead: bright, highly saturated shots of lips and food—with creative lipstick designs at the centre of it all.