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Welcome to New York—where Nadège Vanhée’s Hermès fall/winter “Part II” show is filled with taxi cab yellow Birkin bags, newsboy caps, and plenty of black (of course). “I have a special connection with New York,” Vanhée told my colleague Nicole Phelps earlier this week. “When I did this second chapter I felt it was relevant to show it here because it’s the perfect blend between a French and an American girl.”
Gregoris Pyrpylis, the head of the ever-growing Hermès Beauty, saw this once-in-a-lifetime show (Hermès historically hasn't shown resort or anything of the like) as the chance to debut a new beauty collection. “Hermès is known for its expertise in color and texture in all the other métiers,” Pyrpylis tells me backstage. His own ensemble is a conversation of colors—a bright olive green shirt, the flash of a gold ring, tortoiseshell glasses, and shades of khaki and brown. “This is where we found a lot of inspiration for the collection of eyeliners and lip liners.” Coming to market in October, there are 40 Le Trait liners in total.
For this occasion, models like Irina Shayk, Karen Elson, Paloma Elsser, and Devyn Garcia had shades like Vert Titien (a dark green), Bleu Nuit (midnight), and Noir Fusain (graphite) traced along their water line and lightly buffed into lashes. “Putting a liner on the waterline of the eyes brings definition and intensity to them without being overwhelming,” Pyrpylis says. “But adding in a color on some of the models, instead of classic black, makes it very playful.”
Hair was slicked back into the wet look on most of the models, though the styling depended on length and texture. Those with longer hair had a sexy, whip-like update (using extensions to get the ultra-long length), harkening back to the house's equestrian roots with a New York City edge. Shorter cuts, like those with a bob, had hair slicked back like Trinity from The Matrix.
For the spring ’24 show, the inspiration was lying in a field and taking a nap. That’s not the vibe here—or even an option for anybody living in The City. “This girl isn’t looking for an escape from the city,” Pyrpylis says. “This is where she finds her inspiration, her energy. Her whole vibe is the city. On the weekends, she’s going out, having fun, and trying new places. There’s a vibration to the city—that’s where she gets her energy and she's bringing that to her fashion and beauty looks as well.”
