5 mins
FASHION WEEK
Check out show-stopping nail styles that appeared on the autumn/winter 2024 runways in New York, London, Milan & Paris
NEW YORK
Stepping away from his signature party aesthetic, Christian Cowan unveiled an elegant collection of silver, white, black and red garments. “We wanted the nails to lean into the clean look with square tips for a modern finish, while staying fun and playing with both matte and high shine finishes,” he notes.
Celebrity manicurist & beauty mentor, Julie Kandalec, conceived five nail styles for the runway using CNDTM shades. She shares: “We created a fierce shape that is both chic and bold, and used an array of CND™’s most classic shades: from solid Black Pool and Cream Puff nails topped with silver stars, to alternative French manis in Devil Red, Garnet Glamour and Safety Pin, and a set of ‘90s-inspired pierced nails in the Ice Vapor shade.”
Celebrity-loved brand, Luar, is known for exhibiting extreme length, embellished nails showcasing the brand’s name at fashion week, and it did not disappoint for autumn/winter 2024. Renaissance-inspired looks, featuring ‘Luar’ and 3D gold frame elements, were crafted by Naomi Yasuda. The nail artist used silicone molds and UV resin to create nail decals, which she painted with gold OPI shade, Glitzerland. She added these decals onto press-on nails, incorporating crystals and top coat to finish.
Jin Soon Choi also lent her skills to the Marc Jacobs runway show, which was inspired by dolls and Diana Ross’ iconic style, with models presenting voluminous hair and long eyelashes. “To complement the look, we wanted to keep the hands looking clean and buffed, playing with barely-there neutrals including CND™’s Bare Chemise, Field Fox and Satin Pajamas,” she reveals.
Editorial manicurist & founder of JINsoon Nail Lacquer and Spas, Jin Soon Choi, took her team to the Jason Wu show, where they used Risqué, a rich black cherry lacquer shade from the JINsoon portfolio, to create ombré nail looks. Described by Choi as a ‘deconstructed’ ombré, the playful and unique design matched models’ abstract eye make-up.
Nail stylist to the stars, Pattie Yankee, used her eponymous brand to fashion nail looks for the Private Policy runway. The collection focused on new frontiers opened by the emergence of AI, and Yankee used sheer nude shade, Bare-ly There, and silver beads to create the appearance of mannequin hands featuring robotic hardware.
Taking place just before the start of Chinese New Year, with 2024 marking the Year of the Dragon, the Kim Shui New York Fashion Week show looked to embody the mythical creature’s powerful traits. References to Chinese New Year and dragons were incorporated throughout, including on nails, which showcased classic red and gold colouring and dragon art, led by manicurist, Narina Chan. Other styles included a silver chrome almond design, pierced so that ‘K’ embellishments could hang from it.
LONDON
Edward Crutchley’s eye-catching, androgynous styling for autumn/winter 2024 depicted a transformation from the angel to the devil. Looks were complemented by red, gold and bronze foil nail designs by go-to nail stylist for the brand, Marie-Louise Coster. She used ORLY shades on top of press-ons, which were cut and filed to be the same length, to achieve a square hand shape.
Instagram.com/venus.to.the.moon
Luxury OPI manicurist, Sammy Mac, and her nail team used the brand’s shades in Alpine Snow, Big Apple Red, Blame The Mistletoe, Bee The Change, Leaf By Example and Shore Is Something! to create bold nail statements for the Helen Anthony runway. Showcased on elongated square tips, the colours matched the bright power dressing seen on the catwalk.
Instagram.com/venus.to.the.moon
Instagram.com/hannahbnt
Held in the atmospheric setting of a church, the Dreaming Eli brand put an empowering spin on Victorian womenswear garments, from deconstructed corsets to the embrace of bare skin. Nails, led by Hannah Bent using Mii Cosmetics, showcased shades, Diamond Chip, Naturally Modest, Worldly Wise, Onyx and Coffee Éclair. For a wow factor finish, ethereal pointed and textured glass effect tips featured.
Instagram.com/done.bymegan
Contemporary womenswear brand, Dilara Findikoglu, set out to express feminine power and banish toxic masculinity with its Femme Vortex collection, featuring a variety of subversive clothing. Liia Zotova of
@the.fingersofgod led the nail designs, which included elongated glossy
red and black styles, as well as nails adorned with 3D bows.
British-American designer, Harris Reed, called on
CNDTM and fashion nail artist, Simone Cummings, to complement his latest collection, which is inspired by Victoriana and paper dolls. Nails served to add depth to the showcase, with 10 vibrant designs ensuring that nails harmonised with each outfit. Simone Cummings notes: “This is the first Harris Reed show where the nails have incorporated colour, allowing each of the models and looks to be their own hero, embracing originality and uniqueness.”
Inspired by the British teenage experience, Sinead Gorey’s autumn/winter 2024 show was a playful and nostalgic nod to school uniforms, teenage angst and Y2K styling. Nails continued this theme, courtesy of session stylist, Ella Vivii. She used The GelBottle Inc and Labology 3 products to prep nails and craft a range of multi-coloured 3D spiky nail looks, with a jelly-like texture and punk feel.
Instagram.com/ellavivii
MILAN
Designer, Antonio Marras, is known in the fashion world for his storytelling abilities, and his autumn/winter 2024 show, which depicted the story of medieval Sardinian ruler, Eleanor of Arborea, utilised nails to elevate these skills. Using pArish products, CEO of the brand & nail stylist, Antonio Sacripante, crafted a variety of designs, from earthy manicures reminiscent of soil, to glossy silver chrome styles.
Instagram.com/antoniosacripante
Neutral nail hues featured on the runway for Swiss luxury fashion house, Bally, courtesy of Elsa Nyemb Durrens. She used nude and brown Manucurist shades to complement the earthy elements seen in the showcase, such as models carrying flowers, pinecones and acorn-shaped bags.
) Instagram.com/jennynails
On the Gucci catwalk, handbags were just as much the stars of the show as the clothes, and this meant nails were too – as talons matched totes, thanks to Jenny Longworth. The British nail artist fashioned a variety of colourful looks, custom-blended to match the accessories.
Multi-coloured embellishments were a focus on the Vivetta runway, with nail designs led by Chiara Ballisai using Emolyne Cosmetics. The crystals picked up sparkle within the clothing collection and added to the playful nature of the show, which presented ruffles, bows, roses and lace on traditional silhouettes.
Avant-garde fashion house, Maxivive, enlisted the help of nail stylist, Maho of @mhchi28__2, and professional nail brand, Kokoist, to enhance its seasonal showcase. Nail looks included a silver cracked metal effect style, sparkling gold designs and glassy red stiletto shapes, mirroring the variety of materials and textures seen in the clothing.
Maho of @mhchi28__2 also led nail looks at the Tokyo James show, which served to reshape expectations of the work of African designers, with a focus on clean lines. Nails were similarly simple, with block colour styles in shades of white, brown and pink and in an elongated stiletto shape.
PARIS
Playful and expressive colours and textures made waves in Off-White’s clothing collection, and nails displayed a similar theme – with glazed pistachio styles, metallic lilac looks and dice nail art. These nail creations, led by Lauren Michelle Pires using CND™, matched hues and patterns seen across the collection and runway decoration.
Instagram.com/amaquashie
Nail stylist, Ama Quashie, headed up the styles for Alexander McQueen. She opted for a natural look with muted tips to complement the power dressing and branded silver statement jewellery seen on the catwalk, as designer, Seán McGirr, shared his debut collection for the brand.
Nail & make-up artist, Marie Rosa, conceived the nail looks for the Coperni showcase: a ‘sci-fi tribute’, according to CEO & co-founder of the brand, Arnaud Vaillant. ‘Flying saucer’ dresses, space suit-inspired coats, sliced jumpers reminiscent of tentacles and handbags housed in evidence bags featured, and nails were no different with their sci-fi references. Inspired by movies including Alien and Jurassic Park, the extreme creature-like black claws extended onto models’ hands.
Laruicci’s AW24 show embraced the elements, with a ‘winter western’ theme. Fashion manicurist, Eri Narita, used Kure Bazaar shades to create a variety of nature-inspired styles, from wood effect nails to a sparkling silver design with 3D ice additions adhered to fingers, mirroring the make-up of the models.
Chrome press-ons made a statement on Mugler’s runway in shades of red, blue, green, black and white, as well as metallic hues, showcasing how the popularity of the chrome nail trend isn’t set to fade for the autumn/winter season. Session stylist, Sylvie Macmillan, led the nail team, having previously worked with Mugler. Read Scratch’s interview with Sylvie on page 84.
Dior Vernis Nail Polish in classic red hue, 999, featured on toes on the Schiaparelli catwalk, courtesy of Cam Tran, who stuck press-on nails over black tights to create optical illusions.