Heavy footsteps and door slams echoed through the darkened room at Sadler's Wells Theatre, illuminated only by dim lightbulbs suspended in the centre of the room. Inside, Erdem Moralıoğlu's AW23 collection transported attendees into the Home Of Hope For The Restoration Of Fallen Women, a women's shelter that operated in the late 1800s.
It could only happen to Moralıoğlu. Upon discovering that his Bloomsbury Townhouse was once a place where 'friendless' women sought refuge, the designer began a deep dive into the backstory of his home, basing the narrative of his latest collection around, not only the rebellious spirit of the women (two of whom were locked out of the centre due to a missed curfew and incited riot in the square as a result), but also the arsenic green and canary yellow wallpaper that was left behind.
On the runway, the haunting story manifested into printed Victorian cropped jackets and taffeta gowns, while shimmering sequins and reflective crystals were reminiscent of delicate raindrops.
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Regular collaborator, make-up artist Jane Richardson for NARS, knew exactly what the beauty look needed to bring Erdem's singular historical vision to life. A departure from last season's clean, portrait skin, Richardson took cues from the refuge's riotous women and went in with plenty of sooty, Via Veneto pencil eyeliner under a black powder eyeshadow. finishing with a healthy amount of Egyptian Magic Cream to create a balmy, wet look.
'All we're using here is black kohl pencils, gels, and liquid liners to really intensify the eyes so you get an almost melancholy feel. When it starts to break down, you still get the intensity,' said Richardson backstage. The rest of the complexion was kept beautifully dewy (thanks to a mini facial by 111Skin) and sparse, with pinpoint concealing, barely-there lips and mascara only on the bottom lashes to avoid a 'dolly' effect.
There's a grungey vibe in the air for AW23, but the goal at Erdem was far more polished. 'If we put the word "grunge" to it, it could put a lot of people off. It's about decorating, contrasts, and brightening the whites of the eyes. It's creating a dramatic feel and drawing attention to the eyes,' Richardson explained, noting that the eyeliner revival - as spotted this season at Heron Preston and Rodarte - signals 'the sense of being okay with who you are, and being okay with not being perfect.'
ELLE Edit: Erdem AW23 Beauty
Think depth and rich pigment, but with a soft diffused finish and skin peeping through the colours. 'Layering a pencil liner, eyeshadow and gel liner is key as the subtle textural changes help to give it a more lived in feel,' Richardson shared with ELLE UK. 'Wearing a balm all over won’t work in real life, but that textural layering will do something quite cool. Buff out the edges with a small, tight brush like NARS #25 smudge brush and you'll see it start to break down. Work lightly only on the edges and then let the warmth of your skin do the rest.'
Over on hair, lead stylist Anthony Turner gave three models' ponytails the bejewelled treatment with a scattering of crystals in varying sizes and tones - lilac, citrine and clear to match the dresses - to mimic the idea of rain drops.
'It's based around Victorian girls staging riots in the street, in the pouring rainfall, hence the drenched hair,' Turner told ELLE UK. To create the rain-soaked effect, his team relied on a generous amount of Olaplex No.9 serum cocktailed with water. Under the spotlights of the runway, the glimmering rhinestones lent a magical finishing touch to the dazzling show.
Check out the rest of AW23's best beauty looks here.
Medina Azaldin is the beauty editor of ELLE and Harper's Bazaar UK, working across print and digital features. She has more than seven years journalism experience and has previously written for Red and Good Hoousekeeping. When she's not demystifying the latest skincare ingredient, sniffing out the next big perfume trend or uncovering the science behind wellness practices, you'll most likely find her in Hatchards Piccadilly or watching a crime series with her cats. Oh, and she's a competitive cheerleader, too.
