On the SS27 Runway, Vivid Eye Looks Are the Default
From Thom Browne to Leo Prothmann, neon eye shadow is a staple this season.
The makeup at fashion month once favored subdued details: natural skin, sheer lip combos and barely-there eye shadow. But for the Spring/Summer 2027 season, runway beauty has morphed from undetectable clean girl glam to maximalist, neon-hued masterpieces. While beauty was once viewed as a distraction to the collections, New York and London Fashion Week prove that the beauty details have become just as meticulous as the garments themselves.
While the body has always been a canvas for all of the season’s latest pieces, the eyes are now a major point of interest for world building. In the case of Thom Browne SS27, makeup artist Aaron de Mey turned models into bugs with watercolor eyeshadow from Byredo — meanwhile, at Leo Prothmann SS27, Andrew Gallimore and Lashify emphasized touches of turquoise and vibrant yellow to match the show’s expressionist aesthetic.
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Rather than allowing the makeup looks to fade into the background, designers are instead utilizing beauty to dream up living, breathing characters inspired by the shows themselves. Whether it’s messy hair and smudged lipstick used to convey the party girl vibe or vibrant eye looks lending themselves to creatures found in nature, a single swipe of bronzy eye shadow is no longer enough to inform the season’s buzziest shows.
While show concepts range far and wide, bold, colorful eyeshadow somehow lands at the center of so many runways this season. For both Michael Kors and Proenza Schouler‘s SS27 collections, makeup artist Dick Page executed visually similar yet conceptually different eye looks. For Michael Kors, the pieces drew inspiration from modernist art, so naturally, the makeup looks followed suit — with grass green, sunflower yellow coral and wave blue rounding out the glam. Meanwhile, Proenza Schouler was an ode to the New York City woman, with back-combed hair and colorful graphic liner bringing the mood to life.
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Above all else, fashion month has had enough of boring beauty. No matter the color palette or overall inspiration, editorial eye makeup has established itself as a SS27 runway staple. Beauty details are no longer simple and understated, they’re statement pieces and defining parts of the designer’s vision.
