(Runway)
Sorry Lip Gloss – Next Spring Is All About This Bold Shade
The Milan Fashion Week runways have spoken.
Milan Fashion Week is synonymous with glamour, luxury, and elegance. Both on and off the runways, the Italians have the uncanny ability to infuse elegance into the edgiest looks — from the flatform loafers at Gucci’s latest collection to the dip-dyed blue hair seen on the streets outside of the shows. So unsurprisingly, designers are co-signing moody dark lipstick at MFW Spring/Summer 2024 and delivering chic, covetable makeup inspiration in the process.
While spring is typically the time of year where you put your liquid lipsticks and bold matte bullets into storage until the fall, the MFW are saying otherwise. At Max Mara, the makeup look consisted of fresh, soft matte skin and a deep, worn-in berry lipstick, creating a cool contrast with the camel, sage green, and pastel pink color palette of the clothing. N21 upped the ante even further, sending models down the runway with bold red lips applied with precision. Both shades and finishes offered an unexpected edgy twist on the typical spring makeup looks without being too out of left field. Better yet: This trend is ridiculously easy to achieve — just even out your base, then swipe on your dark lip shade of choice.
Ahead, see how Milanese designers are dispelling the arbitrary rule that dark lipstick isn’t a seasonally-appropriate spring makeup look.
Gucci
Following the maximalist reign of former Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele, the Italian fashion house’s S/S ‘24 show channeled a new era under Sabato De Sarno. To complement the collection’s refined sexiness, makeup artist Thomas de Kluyver kept the focus on the models’ skin, creating a soft matte base. However, like the show’s statement accessories (flatform monogram loafers and cherry red Jackie bags), a bold lip was added to a few looks for an unexpected pop of color. De Kluyver used a pigmented cool-toned red lipstick, blurring the edges for a lived-in feel. He topped things off with clear gloss.
Max Mara
Like pumpkin spice lattes, navy nails, and chunky cable-knit sweaters, berry lipstick goes hand-in-hand with fall. However, the Max Mara runway demonstrated how gorgeous the deep, moody shade can look when paired with a spring wardrobe full of soft neutrals and muted pinks and greens. Instead of a precise application, the edges of the models’ matte lip was diffused for an effortless feel.
N21
When the weather is humid and balmy, wearing a traditional matte lipstick can feel like leaving your house with too many layers on. Not to mention, it can melt or smudge when face sweat enters the equation. However, N21 made a case for ignoring arbitrary spring fashion rules. Not only was black the main color of its S/S ‘24 collection, the models also all wore bold true red lipstick. If you’re going to embrace the look, have a setting power on hand to keep sweat and oil under control to avoid messing up your lip.
