Spring 2014 New York Bridal Market: Marchesa and Monique Lhuillier

The Spring 2014 Bridal Market week has filled Manhattan studios and showrooms with yards of carefully gathered tulle, intricate lace, sleek silk and every embellishment under the sun.

Marchesa: Prepping updo by twisting lengths of the ponytail.

Marchesa's bridal collection, decidedly more floating down the aisle than the usual red carpet glitz, included airy, romantic gowns with a fresh, young bride in mind and a nod to 1950s fashion. In collaboration with Designers Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman, Kérastase Lead Stylist Akemi Tamaribuchi dreamed up a cord-braided updo.

Create the Look:

1. She blow-dried hair using Kérastase Cement Thermique and Mousse Substantif to add texture. 2. Then separated the fringe section of hair and pinned out of the way before pulling the sides and back into a low ponytail using a bungee. 3. She sectioned the pony and created two cord-braids, twisting hair. 4. One braid at a time, hair was twisted and pinned flat against the head, creating an oval shape at the back of the head.

Marchesa: Completed coiled chignon.

5. Akemi smoothed the fringe area to create a flat look on the top of the head and looped ends around the shape. 6. For a final touch, she mussed bits of hair in the shape to soften.

With soft colors and a subtle purple smokey eye, Gucci Westman enhanced the models' natural beauty using Revlon makeup. She also added her own luminizer mix to neck and arms for glowing, flawless skin. "Skin is a big factor, the arms flowing and milky and as flawless as possible. They are a continuation from the face, angelic, and nostalgic," said Westman.

Monique Lhuillier's structured, elaborate gowns accessorized with headpieces, embellished veils and even a fur capelet deserved an equally strong hair design. Lead Hair for Kérastase Nina Dimachki found inspiration in a modern day Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn for her architectural, sculptured updo. "The look was inspired by the collection because there are so many modern clean sophisticated lines and cuts to the gowns and we wanted to mirror that," Dimachki said.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="173" caption="Monique Lhuillier: Final hair and makeup look."]Monique Lhuillier: Creating a sculptured roll. Create the Look: 1. She prepped hair with Kérastase Cement Thermique for heat protection and Mousse Volume Actif for extra texture before curling hair section by section with a medium-barrel iron and pinning each section to set. 2. Once curls were cooled, she brushed out and pulled hair from the bottom into a low ponytail secured with a rubber band, leaving some hair out on top. 3. The top section was brought into the ponytail, covering the rubber band and then she rolled the entire ponytail under and pinned in place. 4. To finish the look, she used a curling iron to create a bend on top of the roll, contouring the shape.

 

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M.A.C Senior Artist Romero Jennings designed a natural makeup look with just a hint of '60s, but not a literal one. Relying on a taupe palette for eyes and lips, he defined features. He smoothed complexions with the new M.A.C Studio Careblend Pressed Powder, his favorite for a matte-look in photographs, and Prep and Prime Translucent Powder. "Clean, fresh, traditional and simple," Jennings said. —Jennifer Barnes