Images by: Frank Rocco
What do incredible fashion, polished hair, glowing skin, and gold leaf all have in common? They all showed up and showed out at the China Institute of America, which celebrated its 100th anniversary with a Centennial Grand Fashion Gala at The Pierre Hotel in New York City. The celebration landed right at the beginning of New York Fashion Week, bringing together some serious fashion heavy hitters.
Vera Wang was in the building, Fern Mallis (the woman who shaped NYFW into what it is today) came through, and beauty industry icon Yue-Sai Kan chaired the celebration. Fashion personality Tina Leung also attended. Not exactly your average Tuesday night, but we’re here for it!
The evening featured collections from Jason Wu, Vivienne Tam, Grace Chen, Laurence Xu, Sandriver, Wang Feng, and Xiong Ying, with a spectacular couture finale from Guo Pei. While guests enjoyed the gala, I led the Major Face hair and makeup teams backstage. I mean, somebody had to make sure those models served!
Classic Hair With A Twist
The hairstyles ranged from sleek and sophisticated to wearable art.
For Jason Wu and Vivienne Tam, we created sleek, straight ponytails that let the clothing do the talking. For all the other designers, we created sculptural twisted updos. But for Guo Pei’s collection, I wanted the hair to be more fun! We created twisted updos embellished with flowers, gold leaf, and ornate accessories. One model had gold leaf applied directly to her hair, while others wore flowers arranged in their hair. We mixed gold powder with a medium to create liquid gold, painted the tip of the roses, and added gold leaf for extra glimmer.
Our hair sponsor, amika, helped us keep everything looking gorgeous. On Lock High Hold Hair Wax kept styles sleek, Fluxus Touchable Hairspray for hold, and Superfruit Star Lightweight Hair Styling + Heat Defense Oil added shine while protecting against heat.
Glass Skin
With all that incredible fashion happening, we wanted makeup that looked beautiful without fighting for attention. We gave the models glowing glass skin, neutral eyeshadow, a soft flush of blush, and nude glossy lips. Elegant, effortless, and timeless.
Ardell Naked Lashes, style 420, added subtle definition without overpowering the makeup. Like I always say, if you’re wearing falsies, it ain’t nobody’s business but yours!
An Unforgettable Centennial Celebration
Beyond the stunning couture gowns and backstage excitement, the evening celebrated 100 years of China Institute connecting people through art, culture, and education.
Being part of such a meaningful milestone was an honor, and watching our team’s work come to life on the runway made it even sweeter.
So tell me, besties, which designer’s look was your favorite?
XOXO,
Your Beauty Bestie
