As Pat McGrath’s Margiela makeup style went viral, both creators and audiences are paying more attention to behind-the-scenes images of fashion weeks.
Summary: Behind the curtain of the shows, more interesting details are gradually being revealed. The birth of the next major trends. Backstage at New York Fashion Week is even more bustling than usual. Influencers, press, and other viewers hope to witness moments of beauty following the Margiela trend this season.
After makeup expert Pat McGrath created doll-like makeup for the fashion house, contributing to the sophisticated yet surreal element of the standout show at Paris Fashion Week, attention was also drawn to the beauty roster of fashion shows. After Margiela’s secretive backstage, makeup artists, beauty editors, and content creators had to “dig deep” to figure out how to replicate McGrath’s success.
McGrath stated that the deliberate secrecy behind the scenes serves a purpose. “The Maison Margiela show is a truly captivating experience, both performance-wise and visually appealing to the audience – whether in person or online. You get to witness the couture collection and a stage full of allure and spectacle.”
When Margiela’s backstage garnered much attention, McGrath recalled the feedback on social media about the “gel-like dewy skin” and crystal-adorned ear makeup she created for the high fashion collections of Schiaparelli and Margiela: “Recently, there’s been increasing passion for runway beauty.”
Many influencers are requesting access to backstage to witness new makeup looks. Matt Newman, a hairstylist with a TikTok channel @Mattloveshair, started releasing content about fashion weeks as soon as the shows resumed after the pandemic.
His videos capturing hairstylists backstage working on models have attracted millions of views. Last season’s video on Christian Siriano’s “balletcore” bun received 4.6 million views. An earlier video on Gigi Gorgeous’s ponytail at The Blonds garnered over 30 million views.
Beauty and health editor at Vogue magazine, Margaux Anbouba, stated, “After Margiela’s show, people are interested in what happens backstage.” She noted an increase in content creators at New York Fashion Week, investing in more professional equipment. “The evolution of media is fascinating; it’s attracting more participants,” Corey Reese, global CEO of Bumble and Bumble, said. “Backstage content is also a way to guide and inspire, teaching the audience new tricks, techniques, and styling products.”
Experts agree that collaboration between editors and content creators can boost interest in backstage makeup trends. Juan Manuel Gonzalez, founder and CEO of G & Co, a beauty consulting and agency company, said, “When there’s more posts about a certain topic, it makes the brand seem more authentic than just seeing models on the runway.”
This is a win for brands as it means more attention to their work and products. However, experts say that brands are still considering whether to allocate budget to this activity when budgets are tight.
Experts believe that brands investing in backstage beauty content are worthwhile. Gonzalez said, “Allocating budget to this portfolio is always beneficial to strengthen the brand the way you want.” He said paying for content allows brands to control their image.
But brands are still in a challenging phase. Gonzalez said, “Customers agree to spend on consumer goods, but companies are still very concerned about budgets.” And brands need more data on ROI. They need confidence and brand awareness to decide on the next step.
Bobbi Brown invited its longstanding creative partners to various events. According to Aline Belda, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics’ global marketing SVP, they don’t have to pay for collaboration as they were invited to the program. Belda added that backstage content can help the event gain more exposure through community feedback and interaction, especially on TikTok.
Makeup artist and content creator Mirta Miler said it’s challenging to participate in fashion weeks as just an internet hot girl/boy. That’s why some influencers are willing to do PR for free. Miler’s PR team added more backstage visits at Christian Cowan this season.
Everything is changing as brands realize the value of tapping into content creators. Now, everything that happens at Newman’s NYFW will be shared with Tresemmé. But in 2022 for AW23, when he tried to establish paid partnerships, no brand agreed to collaborate. He said, brands said it sounded great, but they didn’t have enough budget, and when he did it for free at 10 shows the following September, the videos garnered millions of views.
The Birth of the Next Major Trends This is significant for brands as backstage beauty trends are spreading beyond the runway and reaching consumers.
McGrath said backstage is where many beauty trends are born, and social media only accelerates this process. She said, “I’ve been experimenting with super luminous skin at Margiela for years, but they only went viral when it came to glass skin. So, I truly believe the value of backstage beauty lies in starting trends and then inspiring people worldwide to try them.”
Reese said social media has changed everything. “We saw this last season with bows. It became a major trend that everyone from celebrities to social media was crazy about.”
Belda said, “Backstage is a crucial moment for brands to create beauty trends. Content posts about backstage provide a complete fashion experience right on everyone’s feed, and through social media, trends from backstage and the runway begin to develop.”
This fashion week, brands from Luar to Marc Jacobs embrace bold beauty on the runway, from crystals to voluminous hair. This marks a bigger change.
Miler said Christian Cowan leaned towards Mob Wife aesthetics with large wigs. “I think people are over boredom,” Newman said. He captured 24-karat gold strands at Christian Siriano. “Everyone wants a bit of sparkle and brings back seductive beauty.”
Vogue’s Anbouba said beauty moments in New York may increase and get more attention, but their cradle lies in Europe. She said, “Most shows in New York tend towards traditional beauty or a more urban, gritty aesthetic. We see more experimental looks at European shows.”
