Exclusive: Galore goes backstage at Australia Fashion Week
Francesca Miller-Hard, here!
Behind the polished face of Australia’s Fashion Week 2023 in Sydney, lies a collective creative brilliance working behind the stage to bring together each show. As a photographer who had the privilege of stepping into the buzzing hive backstage, I am excited to share with you the behind-the-scenes content, exclusive interviews, and insight straight from the gurus who bring the visions to life.
The chaos and energy were thrilling to shoot; take a glimpse of the make-up, skincare, and hair from the designers of Caroline Reznik, Karla Spetic, and Gail Sorronda. Amidst a whirlwind of models and hairspray, I talked directly to the teams and designers working their magic for the runway, One of whom was makeup artist Filomena Natoli in charge of skin prep for the Caroline Reznik show partnered with the luxurious Augustinus Bader. I talked with Natoli about her dedication to creating a glowing, even base using Augustinus Bader Rich Cream.
At Gail Sorronda, Make-up artist Nicole Thompson used Makeupforever Aqua Resist Pencils in Brown + Black. We love the lips here, rubbed in with lipsticks in crafted wine and rocking rust, a romantic look for evening wear. You can totally recreate this look for the FW 2023 season!
Gail Sorronda, a label synonymous with innovation and creativity, returned to the runway and saw the designer deliver an emotive visual presentation, luminous with otherworldly grace. John Pulitano worked on creating these gorgeous hair-dos, using O&M to achieve this airy-felt hair that complimented the clothes so well.
Filomena Natoli Backstage at Caroline Reznik
Make-up guru, Filomena Natoil, shares with us her skin-care process for creating healthy-glowing skin for the Caroline Reznik Resort 24′ Collection.
“Basically before I start my make-up process I assess who’s in my chair, what their skin condition and concerns are and I go from there. I always start with a simple micellar water cleanse, which you can do very simply with some cotton pads, just to get away from any debris and any environmental pollution on the skin. I then go in with whatever skincare I’ve selected, for today’s show I’m using Hydrating cream for some light hydration to sort of catch some of the high points on her skin underneath the makeup, once that’s done, I’ll give a gentle massage but I definitely don’t believe in giving a facial when you’re about to go into make-up, for me before any moisturizing makes it into my kit, I test it because not all moisturizers are created equal, so one thing I look for as a make-up artist is creams that don’t peal under foundation because that’s a disaster when that happens – sometimes pealing can happen when you overload the skin with too much product, the trick that I use is 2 drops of oil, a gentle massage followed by the cream or the rich cream then I go straight in with foundation, you just get that really beautiful rich healthy glow. With models that come from shoots or previous shows, you have to use products that act really fast that give the skin the hydration it needs, so rich cream is the secret weapon that I use for most occasions. Part of the skin prep process, aside from hydration, is lip care, so I’ll go in with a lip balm which is super hydrating and works as sort of lip mask that absorbs into the skin”
Led by Make-up Director Sean Brady, the make-up for the show focused on the dark romance within, with velvety eyes taking center stage in a smoked and smudged look. Emphasizing these eyes, the lash line was extended to be reminiscent of a feline appearance, with accentuated under-eye areas highlighted for added intensity. Silken, indulgent, and serene, the natural is punctuated with a fierceness that reflects the animal within.
Team Credits:
Galore Contributor: Francesca Miller-Hard
Photography & Interviews: Francesca Miller-Hard
Galore Features Editor: Perry Johnson
