This was the first time I had ever been to fashion week in New York and I had the opportunity to go back stage for some shows. I really had a chance to see how the big shots come up with looks for the runway shows and the process is interesting and really gives you an insight into trends. The lead makeup artists already know what’s going to be “in” and where the basic look should be headed. They work with the designers to customize this look for the clothes.

Once you know this, it’s easy to distill the trends from what you see on the runway. Though there are differences in looks, there’s always a basic undercurrent that runs through each and every collection.

So, without further ado, lets have a look at the makeup trends for fall 2008. In one word: colour. There will be colour on the eyes and colour on the lips.If you’ve been loving the red lips of last year, don’t throw out your red or burgundy lipsticks just yet. Fall 2008 will see a coloured lip but it’s interpreted as more of a stain this time. Key words heard backstage were “berry stained” or “bitten” and instead of using a gloss, the makeup artists put the lipstick on with their fingers, often just pushing it into the lips. There’s no need for lip liners for this red-lipped look.

That’s not all.

There’s colour on the eyes too and you can’t be scared to wear it. There are no pastels and no coloured eyeliners. Just bright pigment painted on the lids.

There is an interpretation of this that was seen at ThreeAsFour, a label which is more avant-garde yet for the regular woman - bright eyelashes. Royal blues, grass greens, and pretty pinks are all shadow colours to stock up on.


Can you handle it? You have six months to make your mind up!

Henna writes about makeup, cosmetics, fashion, and trends on her blog, Canadian Beauty. She loves discovering new brands, and attending fashion shows.

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Photo credits for images from NYC Fashion Week: Henna Singh