From Mayhem to Magic

Ever wondered how the gorgeous spectacle we see at a fashion show gets there? Step behind the scenes at Harriet’s Muse and find out

Watching the über glam models stalking down the runway at the Harriet’s Muse show, all super sexy corsets, smoky eyes and dramatic hair, you’d never guess at the craziness we encountered just an hour before in the crowded dressing room. The air was full of hairspray and nervous energy, you could barely hear yourself think above the shouts of the makeup artists and the blasting of what sounded like a thousand hairdryers. So just how do you create such a picture perfect show from all the mayhem? We talked to the Rachel Wood and Tim Fursseddon makeup and hair guys responsible for creating the magic.

How do you decide on a look for a show?

It’s really important that everyone (designers, stylist hair and makeup) work as a team. You don’t want to end up in a cat fight. So we all meet up, get a model in and do at least one test, it’s so much easier on the day if we already know what we’re doing.

Tells us about the makeup for this show

Harriet’s Muse have a late forties, early fifties feel to their clothes, so we wanted to pick that up in the makeup too. It’s Marilyn Monroe lips, Audrey Hepburn eyes but all taken up a notch — as though Disney drew them as a cartoon.

Any tips on creating this dramatic look in a more wearable way?

Use Benefit babe cake and a nice thin eyeliner brush and Benefit she laq will set your makeup — your eyeliner will last all day. And if you want fifties flicks, do the flick bit first going towards the direction of the eyebrow and then everything else will kind of blend and follow, any other way and they’ll probably end up a bit wonky.

And false lashes?

Don’t use the glue that comes with them, buy duo surgical adhesive, it’s much stronger and less irritating. Let it dry til its almost tacky and sticky then put them in the crease between the lash and the eye. Also, lift them a little bit to stop them feeling hooded, otherwise it’ll feel like you have butterflies sitting on your eyes.

What about the hair style, is it a look that you think we’ll be wearing?

Well clothes are going to be very tailored next season — big wide trousers, high waisted, that kind of thing, so I think people want to see hair a little bit more dressed to go with it. Hair will be a little less messy, I mean, you don’t want to look like your nan or a trolley dolly on acid but things will be a bit more structured.

Any tips on recreating this at home?

It’s all about tongs, tongs and patience. It takes a lot of time to get it done, and quite a bit of practice but there’s no reason you can’t do this yourself.