The Avant Garde Issue

JW: What are some other shows that you are creating the look
for this season?
VC: MAC Cosmetics is supporting over 70 shows this season in
New York alone. There are a lot of different looks, but at the same
time, a lot of consistency backstage. Personally, I’ll be working on
Carolina Herrera, Rachel Zoe, and Oscar de la Renta. I also designed
the look for the 45 male models at Perry Ellis.
JW: Do you have any runway beauty tips that can be used for
street wear beauty?
VC: One of the biggest beauty buzzwords right now is “reality.” The
makeup trend is to visibly improve and reveal your best features
without necessarily trying to change your look. This can easily be
achieved with a product like MAC Cosmetics Studio Waterweight
Foundation, which provides coverage that appears virtually invisible
to the naked eye.
Jon Reyman backstage creating
looks for the Academy of Art
University Fashion Show.
become an instructor at the Academy of Art University
itself.
JW: What was the inspiration behind the look for
the Academy of Art University Fall 2015 show?
Where do you draw your inspiration and ideas
from?
VC: It’s the designer’s moment to showcase their
signature collections, so it’s important to create a
look that complements while creating continuity
throughout the show. As a makeup artist, I have
always considered myself a storyteller who draws inspiration
from various sources. This season I wanted
to tell a moody beauty story with a nod to 1990’s supermodels
by using the architecture of each model’s
face as the focal point.
JW: Which products did you use at the Academy
of Art University Fall 2015 show?
VC: The star products for the AAU show were MAC
Cosmetics Baby Don’t Go Pro Longwear Blush to
sculpt cheekbones, MAC Cosmetics Coquette Eye
Shadow to define the eyes and create a bit of mood
and androgyny, MAC Cosmetics Hush Cream Colour
Base for natural highlighting of facial contours, and
MAC Cosmetics Studio Waterweight Foundation to
invisibly conceal and neutralize lip tones.
JW: What are the biggest beauty trends right now? What color
palette and products are currently trending?
VC: Last season we celebrated minimal makeup. Bridging into fall,
we’re keeping skin clean and fresh but adding signature statements
like a bold lip or a strong liner. In terms of color, we’re seeing
black liners replaced with graphite, pastels with shots of grey
added to create a unique tonality, and the return of metallics.
JW: What are five things you’re loving right now?
VC:
1. Matte Lips: Watch out for this trend and for the new MAC Cosmetics
Retro Matte Liquid Lipsticks, which are being sported all
over NYFW.
2. Individuality: Fashion and makeup have become so much about
celebrating identity and creativity.
3. Classic novels: Because they force me to put the iPhone down.
4. Food: I’m attempting to become a “foodie” (although it’s a bit
expensive to dine out in San Francisco).
5. Hair: I have purely done makeup for 20 years and I’m now trying
to learn the basics of hair
JW: Was beauty something you were always interested in?
Where do you see yourself headed in the next few years?
VC: I actually discovered beauty while performing in theatre back
in high school. I immediately loved makeup’s transformational
qualities. This was during the time when artists like Madonna
would use fashion, hair, and makeup to redefine their identity for
a brief moment. I knew I had to be a part of that magic. Only time
will tell where I’m headed. It’s so unclear where I may find myself
working or travelling to next, but this marks my 20th year with
MAC Cosmetics. Another role I love is working at the Academy and
lending my experiences to emerging artists who are embarking
on their creative journeys.
ABOUT THE WRITER
By Jeanie Walsh, MFA Fashion Journalism,
Academy of Art University | Backstage photos
by Stacy Murphy Photography
Fashion Xchange Magazine | Avant Garde Issue 2015 | 97