If there's one thing you could say about the nail looks that typically come down the runway during fashion week, it's that they're not typically easy to replicate at home. That makes sense — some of the best nail artists in the world are concocting these looks, so why not have them go for broke? But the New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2020 nail art trends that are popping up are a little different. While there are definitely some complex looks, nail artists are taking a more DIY twist with a handful of the nails — and providing easy tips and tricks to pull them off, too.
It's true. Even those who can barely paint an even coat of polish on their nails can benefit from some of these genius tips. At Christian Siriano, for example, Essie lead nail artist Julie Kandalec gave TZR an easy tip that even she uses to make glitter polish application a snap. And at Rag & Bone, lead nail artist Mei Kwajiri, working with OPI, actually mixed black polish with clear to get a gradient look.
But the DIY's don't end there. Ahead, find the Fall/Winter 2020 nail trends you'll want to start testing out ASAP.
Christian Siriano
The look at Christian Siriano was all about where edgy met elegance. Essie lead artist Julie Kandalec opted for a jet black nail with a dusting of glitter, which was inspired by some of the jewels in the collection. "We wanted the black to look like patent leather, which helped the glitter design to pop," she told TZR.
Kandalec started with two coats of Essie Nail Polish in Licorice before easily dotting on the glitter halo of Essie Nail Polish in Set in Stones. And her technique couldn't be easier. "I always have a paper towel handy, because in any glitter polish, there's going to be a lot of clear polish," she says. "So I blot the brush on the paper towel to absorb some of the extra clear substance so that there's more glitter on the brush. Then I just dot it on." If that isn't the easiest way to DIY some nail art, I don't know what is.
Rag & Bone
Over at Rag & Bone, lead nail artist Me Kawajiri, created half a dozen looks, ranging from magical mushrooms to 3D googly eyes. To create the marbled look, which was painted onto short, square nails, Kawajiri used a base of OPI Polish in Black Onyx, before haphazardly swirling the brand's polish in Alpine Snow on top.
For another look that included a gradient black design, Kawajiri actually mixed Black Onyx with some clear polish to get the different shades of black. "We wanted it to look like scales," she said. So if your black is a little too dark, try mixing it with clear polish to get your perfect shade.
Monse
Punk was the name of the game backstage at Monse, where Essie's lead artist Miss Pop made sure everyone got polished — including the guys, who wore Essie Polish in Licorice. For the ladies, however, she popped on Essie Polish in Berry Naughty and the brand's Matte About You topcoat for a shine-free finish. She then pierced the a handful of the nails on each model, giving each girl a different set of metal-accented nails.
Now while Miss Pop does not recommend piercing your nails at home — leave that one to the professionals, guys — she did offer up a tip for the perfect matte nail while speaking to BehindTheChair.com's Instagram stories. "Start with a regular top coat, and then paint on your matte top coat once it's a little dry," Miss Pop said. "That way, you won't get any sheerness or any brush strokes in your matte top."
Veronica Beard
Leaning in to the chilly temps, Essie lead nail artist Rita Remark opted for what she called "spicy neutrals" for Veronica Beard Fall 2020. She created this two-toned, modern twist on a half-moon manicure by first painting on Essie Cliff Hanger, a cinnamon-toned polish, before popping on Bed Rock & Roll, a rosy brown.
Remark stopped just short of the cuticle with Bed Rock & Roll, however, creating a half-moon shape without having to paint it on free hand. A coat of Speed Setter Top Coat sealed everything in.
