Diane Kendal’s Guide to Runway-Perfect Skin by Emily Weiss
Holding | Photographed by Emily Weiss (Diane Kendal and Aymeline Valade, top); Olivier Claisse/firstVIEW (bottom, from left: Kendal’s work on the runway at Proenza Schouler, Thakoon, and Alexander Wang)
Clockwise from far left: C.O. Bigelow Triple Rose Water; Studio Moisture Fix SPF 15, Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation, Cremeblend Blush in Brit Wit, and Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel all by M.A.C. Shop online at bigelowchemists.com and maccosmetics.com.
Photo: Liam Goodman
Quote:
Makeup artist Diane Kendal whipped up looks for eight shows in New York last week—everything from tribal-influenced crimson eyes at Thakoon to statement brows at Alexander Wang. The one constant at all her shows: the incredible quality of the models’ skin, especially noticeable on the nearly bare faces at Reed Krakoff and Proenza Schouler. Kendal has long been known for her contoured, less-is-more approach to complexions. Here’s how she does it, step-by-step:
1. Start with rose water: “It’s my all-time favorite product,” says Kendal, who has been using the all-purpose eau for more than 20 years as a toner to prep the skin. For tired models backstage, it doubles as a pick-me-up throughout the day: “It makes the girls feel good.”
2. Prime: Kendal is partial to M.A.C Studio Moisture Fix SPF 15, which, “sinks into the skin very quickly, and creates a beautiful canvas for applying foundation.”
3. Blend: Backstage, Kendal relies on a professional palette of Dermacolor foundations, available through the pro makeup source Kryolan (kryolan.com), but recommends more user-friendly formulas like M.A.C Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation for everyday use. She’s often spotted with a dollop of Embryolisse cream on the back of her hand as a mixing agent—this way, the same foundation can go from spot-treating “concealer” to “tinted moisturizer” in a brushstroke.
4. Contour: For soft definition and luminosity, Kendal layers several cream—not powder—blushes. “It keeps the face looking fresh and young.” She works a deeper taupe-y brown under the cheekbones and into the temples, and uses a brighter peach to accentuate the apples of the cheeks. She relies upon pale, pearlescent highlighter (like M.A.C Lustre Drops, due out in April) to brighten the brow bones, the bridge of the nose, and the Cupid’s Bow of the mouth. To keep the dewy finish in balance, Kendal dusts loose powder across the T-zone.
5. Finishing touch: “Sometimes, if the face looks too ‘done’ once I’m finished, I rub moisturizer on top. It works really well, to deconstruct a look. I like that bit of residue.”
^Great article fm2tm. Diane is a woman after my own heart. the last "deconstruting" step is so crucial for me otherwise i feel so obvious and overdone with powder on. only i use a slightly dampened sponge and lightly dab it around to take down the flat matte look of powder.
' Retour à Oxford " VOGUE Paris September 1993
Photographer: Christopher Griffith
Models: Katia and Gray
Fashion Editor: Marie-Amélie Sauvé
Hair: Jean-Louis David
Make-up: Diane Kendal
Stephanie LaCava: Thank you for taking the time, where are you now?
Diane Kendal: In Los Angeles, working on the Calvin Klein Collection ad campaign with Mert (Alas) and Marcus (Piggot) and Lara Stone.
SLC: Can you reveal a little about the look?
DK: For the collection, we did a really beautiful luminous skin with a little definition wrapped around the eyes and stained mouth. We (the stylist was Camilla Nickerson) wanted Lara to look really strong and beautiful. It was Calvin, so there was a minimal feel, but also a bohemian aspect. We did CK, as well. For that we did more sun kissed, dewy skin. We (the stylist was Karl Templer) were going to shoot on location, but had to change because the weather hasn’t been that good out here. So, we had to go into studio and use fake sunlight. That’s how we came up with making the girls have sun kissed skin, much shinier than the white highlights we did with Collection. We gave a richer nuttier tone to the skin. I used Nars body oil with shimmer as the main product. For Collection’s beautiful milky skin, I used a product called Ben Nye, a white pearlescence all around the cheekbone and up above the eyebrow. We are starting White Label tomorrow.
SLC: You did that all this week?
DK: Yes. It has been busy. Mert and Marcus are great to work with, a lot of fun. I’ve never worked with photographers before that are so quick. They will take a picture and go to the computer and do the retouching themselves there and then, which is amazing to see. They are so fast at it. You get a real clear picture of what they are looking for and how I can tweak the makeup according to what they want.
SLC: What’s next for you?
DK: When I go back, I am doing a story for Interview on Monday and a Nars video on Tuesday. On Wednesday, it’s Oscar de la Renta’s campaign. Jil Sander Uniqlo on the weekend. You never know until the week before.
SLC: What about recent editorial?
DK: I just did a story for American Vogue with David Sims and Raquel Zimmerman. Raquel is such a great model; you can do any makeup on her and she’ll totally get into character and won’t question anything. She really takes everything on board, which is great. She’s such a pleasure to work with, never moans and is really happy to be where she is.
SLC: How is it working with David Sims?
DK: I’ve worked with him for at least sixteen years. I first met David when he wasn’t even taking pictures, when he was just starting to assist. We met with my friend, Guido, I’m really good friends with the hairdresser, Guido Palau. We first met him (Sims) when he was nineteen, back in London through mutual friends and we all became really good friends. When Dave was starting out we all did tests with him.
SLC: What’s your process like with Sims?
DK: It’s always a collaborative approach when you get to a job. All of us, the art director, David, Guido, and the stylist, discuss what we are going to be shooting. Normally with Dave, we dress the girl and he’ll put her on set and Guido will play with her hair and we’ll talk about makeup. Sometimes we’ll even do makeup on set. Other photographers may have hair and makeup beforehand.
SLC: How is collaborating with, say, Craig McDean, different?
DK: He has a similar process too, but with Craig it’s more that you will talk through different looks, but rarely do makeup on set. We’ll go back to the makeup room. Maybe once we’ve done a look, I will change it on set.
SLC: What about working with a designer like Alexander Wang?
DK: He’s great, so young and so open to ideas. He really likes to be pushed. Inspiration for his last show was downtown New York: early 80s Basquiat. That’s how Guido came up with the concept of putting white powder in the hair. Makeup-wise, we really wanted to go raw and fresh, to go for this super shiny skin and no eyebrows to fulfill that whole image and look, which
I think worked really well.
SLC: What about Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler?
DK: They are another great team to work with as they always want to create a really strong look for their girl, which is fun. For this recent show, the clothes were a little more lady than they usually do, but still with that grungy, early 90s element. The hair was all matted texture, pulled back so it still looked a little sophisticated. We decided to do a contoured, monotone face, but I didn’t put concealer under the eyes. Jack and Lazaro love how the girls look when are a little bit
dark under the eyes. It’s that juxtaposition of raw and beautiful.
SLC: Anyone else?
DK: I also do Jason Wu and Thakoon. Jason Wu was more 70s. It was fun to use all those different colors like turquoise and silver; pink and purple; and green and gold. We broke the girls up: for blonde, we did purple and pink; for the darker girls, we did gold and green. It was fun doing all those different colors for that show. For Thakoon, we did lots of strong gold highlights. It gave a sun kissed luminous look to the girls.
SLC: Like Calvin Klein?
DK: Perhaps, pushed a bit more. It was a much stronger gold highlight that really picked up as the girls walked down the runway.
SLC: Any other Spring Summer shows of note?
DK: I always love doing Carolina Herrera. The clothes are always so beautifully made, as are the fabrics. She has a beautiful aesthetic. It’s always really nice to collaborate with designers from different eras. She’s so nice to work for. She always likes to push, but really in her world. This season, we did a red brick eye shadow. Her shows are always very womanly. It’s nice to be able to create a womanly face, but use colors like the red eye shadow.
SLC: Was it a particular type of shadow?
DK: MAC. It was eye shadow we made up from using a lipstick pencil and eye shadow on top, all MAC products.
SLC: Any favorite personal obsessions or products?
DK: I do like working with MAC products and NARS products. I use a lot of Kryolan, an old theater brand you can get at Ricky’s’ and Alcone, a makeup shop thatstocks all sorts of theater brands on 49th near Broadway. I always use Ben Nye, another theater product.
SLC: How did you decide to become a makeup artist?
DK: Originally, I wanted to do more special effects and film. I went to the London College of Fashion to study prosthetics and theater. There, I met people infashion design and photography and that’s when I started realizing there’s a whole other world to makeup. You could be a fashion makeup artist.
SLC: Are there other makeup artists you admire?
DK: I really admire Pat (McGrath.) It’s amazing what she’s done. She has no fear and a great eye for creating really amazing characters for people to photograph and for the shows. It’s an amazing line that Francois Nars has created — and he still has a lot of creative input. I’m fortunate enough to have worked on his campaigns. He now takes pictures too. It’s great to work with someone of his caliber and be appreciated by him.
SLC: What was it like starting out?
DK: It’s quite different now that most people assist makeup artists to learn the craft. When I was starting, it wasn’t such a big industry. It was a slow process: lots and lots of tests and taking the odd job here and there, building up a portfolio. I spent six months in Milan working and then came back to London and then went to Paris and lived in Paris for a few years and then from Pariswent to New York. I’ve lived in Brooklyn, New York for sixteen years now.
SLC: Do you go back to England often?
DK: Just recently, I went back to do an American Vogue shoot with David Sims and last week I was there doing a Gap presentation. I have been back to London a few times this year. More and more, New York becomes so much more familiar to me that I don’t feel I know London that well any more. It’s funny. The last year, there’s been a real shift and I feel New York is my home.
SLC: What are your earliest memories of makeup?
DK: My dad worked in TV in the North of England, Carlyle right near the Scottish border. He would drop my sister and me off in the makeup room during school holidays when he would take us in with him. I could only have been five or six at the time. I thought, ‘G-d that looks kind of fun.’ I always remember my mother using Max Factor pan stick. I was fascinated, sticking my fingers in it.
" The Un-Tuxes " US Harper's Bazaar c 1997
Photographer: Nathaniel Goldberg
Model: Shalom Harlow
Fashion Editor: Elissa Santisi
Hair: James Brown
Make-up: Diane Kendal
" Love Your Looks " O Magazine March 2001
Photographer: Gerald Forster
Models: Damalai Dalgety, Patti Hansen, Elizabeth Thompson, Savannah Widell, Margareth Lahoussaye-Duvigny & Chazz Levi
Stylist: Amy Hall Brown
Hair: Peter Butler
Make-up: Diane Kendal
Diane understands and celebrates beauty at " Every Age ": ellastica scans
" La Revanche de L'etudiante" Glamour France c 1994
Ph. Juergen Teller
model: Charlotte Gainsbourg
Fashion Editor: Carine Roitfeld
Hair: Marc Lopez
Make-up: Diane Kendal
Source: blogs.lexpress.fr
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The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes - Marcel Proust
"When East Goes West" US Marie Claire Winter 1995
Photographer: Robert Erdmann
Model: Cecilia Chancellor
Fashion Editor: Jackie Frank
Hair: Ray Allingotn
Make-up: Diane Kendal
Posted by burbuja8910 via bwgreyscale.com/ archive.org
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The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes - Marcel Proust