BEAUTY: The beauty of Philippine Fashion Week

MANILA, Philippines - It is a surprise to learn that in the 14 years that Philippine Fashion Week has shaped and nurtured the local fashion industry, it is only this year that the country’s biggest fashion event is officially collaborating with a beauty brand in presenting the trends that will set the pace and look of the upcoming fashion season.

And it is not just some beauty brand, either. Global leader L’Oréal Paris is partnering with PFW in prepping and beautifying all the models that will be featured in more than 25 shows for the Holiday 2011 collections.

It’s a kind of partnership that makes so much sense, one has to wonder why it didn’t happen sooner.

“This is the right moment for L’Oréal Paris to collaborate with PFW,” says country division general manager Arnaud De Fontgalland. “We want to reinforce L’Oréal’s unique position in the beauty market by being more relatable and more achievable, and this partnership is a great step towards achieving that goal.”

PFW founder and executive producer Joey Espino, for his part, remarks, “L’Oréal provides the right resources and products that will complement Filipino creativity.”

Strong eyes, bold lips: PFW designers have collaborated with L’Oreal makeup artists, headed by PFW creative director for make-up Jigs Mayuga, to create arresting looks to complement their creations. Pictured is a model in a Sassa Jimenez dress.

This year’s PFW Holiday 2011, which began its first series of shows last May 8, has 101 designers on its roster, from young start-ups to established names. Each one has worked with L’Oréal artists in creating the beauty looks that will be sent down the runway, and has at their disposal a cache of high-quality hair and beauty products.

Jigs Mayuga, creative director for makeup for all of the PFW shows, adds a special focus on five different skincare, hair and makeup products from L’Oréal’s comprehensive line. First is the Colour Riche lipstick, a moisturizing lip product that stays on for up to four hours with very little “feathering.” For designer Sassa Jimenez’s Art Deco/chinoiserie-inspired collection, in keeping with the revival of the 1920s look thanks to Boardwalk Empire, two Colour Riche shades — Red Passion and Intense Brown — were mixed to create a striking burgundy color. Bold lips have then been paired with dark eyes.

With the androgynous aesthetic dominating Ronaldo Arnaldo’s presentation, the beauty focus was on perfect skin that can carry off dark lips and strong brows. L’Oréal’s amazing primer Base Magique does the trick of smoothing out fine lines and diminishing the appearance of pores to create a flawless finish that can endure the Manila humidity. With its velvety texture, only a small amount of primer is needed for coverage that doesn’t smother the skin.

The medieval warrior-like appeal of Chris Diaz’s creations is complemented by the intriguing no-eyebrow look. With the eyebrows “denuded” with concealer, the attention is then centered on the eyes. To keep the models’ peepers from wilting under the lack of steadying brows, Mayuga recommended the L’Oréal Curl Impact Collagen Mascara, a curl volumizing product with an all-day lasting power. Due to the collagen, this mascara doesn’t smudge and is yet easy to remove at night — just clean it away with warm water.

The Indochine/Elizabethan influences in Gerry Katigbak’s presentation emphasize soft and shiny waves that match the ultra-feminine winged eyeliner and porcelain-like skin. The Total Repair 5 shampoo and conditioner, very popular products in the hair care market, do the trick of addressing the most common issues Filipinas have with their hair.

Arnold Galang looked to the beautiful austerity of Tibet in crafting his clothes for the Holiday 2011 season. This meant the barest minimum in makeup on a smooth and supple canvas. The L’Oréal Revitalift White is an anti-aging and whitening cream that restores firmness and fairness to the skin while protecting it from the sun.

Dream team: With the models are L’Oreal marketing manager Alvin Miranda, managing director Luc-Olivier Marquet, general manager for consumer products division Arnaud De Fontgalland, and Runway Production’s Joey Espino.

These are just some of the anticipated beauty trends that, thanks to the availability of L’Oréal products in the market and the expertise of the brand’s makeup artists, can be easily replicated or interpreted outside the runway by the average Filipina.

From runway to reality

This concept of making fashion and beauty more attainable is due to L’Oréal Paris’s belief that being number one worldwide isn’t built on the aspiration factor only. After all, the brand’s popular tag line is “Because you’re worth it.” De Fontgalland says, “The brand is built on five values: superiority, which comes in the form of new patents and our continuous research; the sophistication that reflects the Parisian style and elegance in our packaging; the high performance of our L’Oréal products; being sensorial, as shown by the quality scents and textures of our products; and being surprising, always coming up with something new and different in our marketing to appeal to the wide global market.” And that market is inclusive of women and men of all ages, looks, and ethnicities; the list of the brand’s spokespersons reflects that market: Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez, Rachel Weisz, Patrick Dempsey, Anne Curtis, and many more.

The looks presented at PFW Holiday 2011 will be posted at the L’Oréal website and L’Oréal counters nationwide for easy reference.