In the course of the recent fall 2023 couture season, some daring makeup paraded down Parisian runways.

“There gave the impression to be a definite trend for graphic eyeliner this season, in addition to color,” said Diane Kendal.

At Aelis, Constance Haond drew graphic black lines in unexpected places near models’ eyes. One had two parallel lines running from the outer corner of their peepers, while one other had a line applied under an eyebrow.

Haond was inspired by the style collection. “I felt something near the sculptural and mineral texture after I discovered it,” she said. “So I used this really cold, black paint [around the] eyes, near an obsidian rock. I wanted something that may give strength to the model, but additionally feel the fragility of humanity.

“I used a wet texture on the black across the eyes and lips to provide fragility, and kept the black really dry for the graphics shapes, like war paint to provide a sense of power,” she continued.

Kendal also fashioned graphic eyes on models for the ArdAzAei show.

“The inspiration for the hair and makeup was the film ‘Blade Runner,’” she said. “I didn’t need to do a literal interpretation, so opted for the graphic eyeliner placed just above the banana, placed on the inner corner leaving an area after which placing an prolonged liner towards the outer corner.  This gave the dramatic feel of ‘Blade Runner,’ with a contemporary twist.

“Eyebrows were filled in, squaring off the front of the brow and straightening them out, giving a boyish feel,” added Kendal.

Marcello Costa took a cue from Imane Ayissi’s clothes. “The inspiration got here from the attractive collection, of the designer’s expressing his DNA as an artist,” he said, explaining the concept was then to translate the garments’ details, textures and colours into the makeup. Costa added metallic paillettes on models’ eyebrows and drew in pink over their top eyelids.

“It’s all about storytelling through makeup,” he said.