Statement Eyes Are The New Statement Lips At NYFW

It’s a common refrain in makeup that when you don’t know what to do with your face, add a statement lip. It’s the go-to of French women and lazy girls alike. It’s also a mainstay of New York Fashion Week. But this season, statement lips gave way to statement eyes: Bold eyeshadows and bright liner colors dashed across models’ lids. And they made for a bold trend for the Spring/Summer 2023 season.

The thing that kept the majority of these looks so chic is that they stuck to one color on the lid. At Alice + Olivia, the eyes were either bright pink or cobalt blue, while Prabal Gurung had a mix of purples and blues. And at Marrisa Wilson, the colors were inspired by the flag of Guyana, where the designer grew up. Depending on their skin tones, models were adorned with either red or green shadows (with a little glitter under their eyes, too.)

The key to acing the statement eye is to keep the rest of your look minimal. Save for a little blush and some gloss across your mouth, your lids should be the focal point. And, following the lead of the following shows, keep to just one bright color to avoid looking too busy — unless that’s your idea of a good time, of course.

Scroll on for the best bold eyeshadow looks from NYFW S/S ‘23.

Alice + Olivia

The inspiration for the makeup at Alice + Olivia was simple: lead designer Stacey Bendet herself. “Stacey has such a playfulness inside of her,” lead makeup artist Elyse Reneau told TZR. “She has this classic Stacey eye that she does with a black shadow. So we recreated that, but also did it in a beautiful blue and pink.”

Instead of a cat eye or a smokey eye, Reneau sketched on a bubble shape with Too Faced’s Killer Liner in either Black, Turquoise, or Pink. There wasn’t any shadow — the whole look was done with eyeliner. To keep balance, the rest of the makeup was kept simple. Think: Subtle hydration, a flush across the cheeks, and some gloss on the lips.

Prabal Gurung

At Prabal, the majority of the models had minimal makeup: Brushed up brows, dewy skin, and a touch of gloss on the lips. But a handful had a swipe of either purple or blue shadow across their lids for a striking pop of color.

Instead of a bubble line like at Alice + Olivia, the shadow at Prabal was almost like a curved cat-eye. It swept from the inner corners of the eyes before diffusing out to a rounded edge. And that was it: No eyeliner or mascara in sight. It’s the ultimate low-maintenance statement eye for anyone looking to try a bold shadow look.

Marrisa Wilson

There was history behind the look at Marrisa Wilson. The green and red of the statement eyes were inspired by the flag of Guyana. “We wanted a pop of color and we wanted a moody eye,” said lead makeup artist Nick Lujan, working with Kevyn Aucoin Beauty. They also placed some hand-mixed glitter under the eye for some added pop. “That was inspired by the ocean,” Lujan revealed to TZR backstage.

As for the skin, Lujan kept things simple. A wash of Kevyn Aucoin’s Stripped Nude Skin Tint, which Lujan also used to contour, provided a dewey base. “We wanted the skin to be super glowing to offset the eye,” Lujan said. Mission accomplished.

Tommy Hilfiger

Makeup Artist, Sam Visser led the glam backstage at the Tommy Hilfiger Spring/Summer ‘23 show creating a look honoring ‘80s NYC runway glamour. From the silvery, smokey eyes, kohl-lined lids and glossy lips, this statement look is ideal for working the party circuit all season-long.

Raw skin and a statement lip? So last season. But a pop of color across the eyes? That’s a trend to get behind.

More to come...