Jones New York Fall Campaign: Q&A with Princess of Powder Gucci Westman

Jones New York recently celebrated the brand's 38-year history of dressing women for success in each of life’s moments. As part of the festivities, Jones New York’s fall campaign is all about Empowering Your Confidence. The campaign began with exclusive photography session in Grand Central Terminal with Annie Leibovitz a couple of weeks ago. The famed photographer shot the modern American woman, aiming to capture the spirit, strength and beauty of working women. I had the opportunity to interview with makeup artist, Gucci Westman, who, with Annie, was one of the many talented collaborators to help shape this campaign shoot.

Beauty Blogging Junkie: What can you tell me about your work on Jones New York's Empowering Your Confidence campaign?

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Fashion Week: BBJ Backstage at TIBI

Gucci Westman chatting with Amy Smilovic, TIBI designer backstage.

Okay, so I'll just SAY it. TIBI is my fave show on which to report at NYFW. For your ref, here's last season's post. This time, I was ESPECIALLY enthused to interview the famed Gucci Westman (pictured, left). Last season, I interviewed her at Miss Sixty, which I also reported on today (stay tuned for a post on that.)

The inspiration: Hong Kong. Amy Smilovic lived there for a spell during the late 90s when her husband was offered a job there. The look was an Asian tomato-red-stained lip and pink cheeks. For lips specifically, Gucci created a spring red infused with a hint of coral. I was so over my spring/summer clothes until I heard the words "spring red." I feel like I need to wear something in spring red IMMED if not sooner. Anyway, to do this, she combined two shades of lipstick: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire & Ice and Kiss me Coral. The former was applied with her fingertips like a stain, while the second was dabbed on afterward. The eyes were toned down with a sheer wash of dove grey shadow. She used Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow in Twilight and Not Just Nudes to achieve a minimal eye with a bit of depth. Gucci finished the look with Revlon 3D Extreme Mascara in Black on the top and bottom lashes to infuse a bit of drama. Revlon Cream Blush in Berry Flirtatious and First Blush was applied with the goal of conveying flirtation on the cheekbone and drawn out to the eye area. Skin was kept even and smooth; Gucci simply matched the models' skin tones. This was my fave makeup look yet. Check it:





Check the phenom brows.

Wanda of Creative Nail Design gave me the deets on the gorgeous tomato-red nails I need in my lifestyle immediately if not sooner. The color is CND's Wild Fire, a beautiful red/coral applied to tailored, squoval-shaped nails.

Then, I headed over to my FAVE stylist of Fashion Week, the hilar Kevin Ryan (who also did hair at TIBI last season.) The inspiration as only Kevin could come up with it: "Japanese Street Kid meets Polygamist Bride." I can't EVEN. The pompadour WAS very Nikki from Big Love. He used a kit he's creating to be sold at Ricky's under his label, a collaboration with another fab stylist named Frank Rizzieri called R Session Tools, which sounds, in a word, phenom. It includes sponges for creating your own fat bun, which is what he used for the models backstage. It's a foam doughnut of sorts, and includes a small brush to use for backcombing, a lot of which was done at TIBI. The front of the hair boasted a mini pompadour, very James Dean, which Kevin secured with his R Session bobby pins. The crown was only slightly amped up with minimal volume, mostly achieved with Bumble and bumble Thickening Spray. A few trysts with a curling iron created a bend in the front of the pompadour. "Very far East," Kevin said. "Does this look nod to any decades past?" I asked Kevin in earnest. "Not this time," he replied. "Solely keeping a look within a decade can limit you. I work within my own space/time continuum." He brought sci fi (which you know I adore) to the Fashion Week party. And that, friends, is why he's my fave FW stylist.

Model having her hair done - notice the doughnut.

The finished product; dressed to tear up the runway!

P.S. Kevin introduced us to Ricky, who was hanging out backstage at TIBI. Yes, THAT Ricky. He was a delight to talk to and shared a bit of his story with me which started out working at his dad's beauty supply shop called Love Stores and evolved into an eight-page spread in one of Allure's first issues. Such a doll.

Image credit: beautybloggingjunkie.com

#NYFW

Gucci Westman Appointed New Global Artistic Director of Revlon

I look forward to seeing what she does for the brand! I've been kind of over Revlon for the past few years except for their utterly phenomenal self-adhesive Lash Fantasy Faux Lashes.

In other news, LOST returns tonight from its Writers Strike induced "spring break!" Rumor has it, the smoke monster is making an appearance and there will be some Tunisia scenes... and according to Jeff Jensen, the word of the ep is Basra. I'm attending a movie premiere tonight, but if you think I'm not rushing home come hell or high water to watch LOST, you don't know me at all.

Fashion Week: BBJ Backstage at Miss Sixty

Hi, dolls!



Backstage, I had the opportunity to interview Gucci Westman (!) who was working with MAC Cosmetics backstage at the Miss Sixty show. "The inspiration was based on a combination of Joan Jett and Bohemian themes," Westman explained. She used black eyeliner, rich blue eyeshadow (which she's applying to the model, above) and a lot of mascara. Blush was a minimal beige. Gucci herself is gorge in person! I couldn't believe she wasn't going to accompany the models down the catwalk. During the interview, Gucci and the model joked about how they both used to love baby blue eyeshadow and mascara when they were younger.


Bumble and bumble, one of my faves, worked on hair for the show.
The Inspiration: 1970s Glamour.

How it was Accomplished: A lot of center parts, long, flowing hair with kicky curl at the ends, accomplished with a large curling iron. No Bumble and bumble thickening spray was used, just Bumble and bumble Styling Lotion (A Fabulista Fave since 02!) Extensions were woven in for bulk, not length. The look was finished off with Bumble and bumble Big Shine and Does it All hairspray.

Nails were polished with Creative Nail Design's Nail Gloss, a translucent medium pink sheer, from their Plexi Pop collection.

I had no problem skipping the beginning of the Super Bowl to report on this (OBV), but I am happy that the Giants just won!




Photo credit: Beauty Blogging Junkie