Patience is the one virtue Givenchy models do not lack. The crystal masks the ladies donned for the brand’s Spring/Summer 2014 show reportedly took over 12 hours and “40 pairs of hands” to apply, according to makeup artist Pat McGrath.
The masks — a wild mix of crystals, netting, and sequins — were inspired by a mashup of Japanese Kabuki theater and tribal rites. About a quarter of the models in the show were outfitted with the faux makeup mask, in varying colors, no less.
The masks took 12 hours and 40 pairs of hands to apply
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This isn’t the first time we’ve spotted models wearing a full-face covering (Cara Delevingne’s balaclava doesn’t count). The style echoes back to Alexander McQueen’s Spring 2013 collection, where the placement of gilded nets around models’ heads transformed them into beekeepers; by Fall 2013, the crystal nets created nuns, cardinals, and angels. The use of crystals is nothing new for McGrath, either: she employed the medium for the bejeweled eyes and lips at the Dior Spring/Summer ’13 show.
If you’re feeling sorry for the models post-show, don’t: model Lais Ribeiro insisted that the masks scrubbed off “easily”. We’ll take her word for it — these are a way better costume idea than our go-to furry bear leotard.
