Share with us... Your Best & Worst Collections of F/W 2026.27

Fresh Faces: Models Vanessa Axente and Sam Rollinson on Their Fashion Week Beauty Survival Strategies
by Celia Ellenberg & Laura Regensdorf
From left: Vanessa Axente and Sam Rollinson
Photographed by Kevin Tachman
New York Fashion Week often acts as a barometer for the industry’s freshest faces—and this season, newcomers Vanessa Axente and Sam Rollinson are emerging as early designer favorites. Rollinson, a dark-haired British beauty who hails from Yorkshire, has graced runways from Rag & Bone and Jason Wu to Rodarte and Altuzarra, while Hungarian-born Axente has snapped up coveted spots in Oscar de la Renta, Michael Kors, and Alexander Wang. We caught up with them backstage this morning. Here, they share the beauty essentials that keep them healthy and glowing through late-night fittings, whirlwind show schedules, and endless makeup applications.
VANESSA AXENTE
Is there anything you do for yourself before—or during—the collections to make sure the constant wear-and-tear doesn’t get to you?
“I take a lot of vitamins—vitamin C, E, fish oils—I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, sometimes meats, whatever my body needs. When I come to New York, I love to go to Whole Foods.”
Even after six days of shows, your skin still looks pretty flawless. Do you have a regimen you like to stick to, even when traveling?
“I’m always using La Roche-Posay face spray and cream, and Chanel cleansing water. I don’t wear much sunscreen, though, because I usually wear a hat. I don’t like to put too much on my face.”
What about color? When you’re not having your makeup done backstage, what do you stock your bag with?
“I really only use mascara. I’m always looking for a good one. I was using a Saint Laurent one a few years ago, and now I’m using one by Chanel.”
You have amazing brows. Who typically does them? Do you have any favorite, local beauty haunts in Hungary?
“I live in a very small village, so for spas you need to go to Budapest. I don’t do my brows, but sometimes I have to let other people [on set and backstage] do them. This summer, I was in Slovenia and Italy with my family, and I had more than one month off, so I let them grow in!”
Any favorite things to do in New York when you’re not running between shows?
“I love to get Japanese food. We don’t have good sushi in Hungary!”