New York Fashion Week (FW25) showcased the artistry at the center of the beauty industry. Backstage partnerships between luxury brands, top designers, and artists exemplified the importance of skincare, makeup, hair, and nails in shaping a fashion collection. Brands including Pat McGrath Labs dominated the week, beginning at Marc Jacobs, continuing to iconic names including Schiaparelli and Coach, while Bobbi Brown came out of her fashion week hiatus, bringing Jones Road to Lingua Franca’s debut show. BeautyMatter takes a look at the key players, products, and trends that defined NYFW FW25.
Pat McGrath Labs: Makeup artist Pat McGrath presented a plethora of looks across NYFW25, kicking things off with the Marc Jacobs show. The looks focused on shifting makeup into a three-dimensional form, shaking up classic beauty takes.
"Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2025 collection is a journey through dimension—where silhouettes shift from two-dimensional planes to sculptural, three-dimensional forms. To contrast this, we approached the makeup as a deconstruction of classic beauty: a graphic play on abstraction. A bold red lip, precision beauty spots, and untouched skin created a three-dimensional structure, reinforcing the collection’s progressive exploration of form, space, and perspective,” said McGrath.
The artist used Divine Skin: Rose 001 The Essence, Skin Fettish: Sublime Perfection Foundation, Skin Fettish: Sublime Perfection Concealer, Skin Fettish: Highlighter + Balm Duo, and Lip Fetish: Sheer Color Balm to "create three-dimensional forms using a mixture of velvet and crystalized materials in various sizes and colors, including burgundy, fuschia, red, and black.”
McGrath was also present at the Anna Sui show, creating looks that channeled the opulence of an unconventional heiress on the runway. Makeup embodied the lavish and slightly rebellious vibe of “the woman who has everything.” Taking the bold jewel tones of the garments to the eyes, a bold black lash line with a soft wing was created using PermaGel Ultra Glide Eye Pencil in Xtreme Black, accompanied by smudged mixed jewel-tone shades on the lower lash line, created with an upcoming unreleased product. Lips were soft nude and brown shades, softly blurred using the Matte Trance Lipstick in Flesh 3.
At Lanvin, McGrath worked to create dewy and hydrated looks for the runway. The models faces were prepped with Divine Skin: Rose 001 The Essence for a luminous finish. Makeup was effortless and sophisticated, crafted with Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation and Concealer to create unique-to-skin flawless coverage. The minimal yet fresh looks were finished with Lip Fetish Sheer Color Balm, to unveil a “classic, natural mouth,” complementing a bold and defined brow. McGrath created the looks with the intention to “reveal the power of individuality and the strength of heritage.”
When at Schiaparelli, McGrath combined glamour and modern artistry, reflecting the fashion collections touch of modernity with a sense of fantasy. Continuing the glowy base trend seen in other collections, the goal of the Schiaparelli looks was to make models seem radiant and surreal. Skin was prepped with Divine Skin: Rose 001 The Essence, followed by highlighting with the Skin Fetish Highlighter and Balm Duo to achieve an angelic aura.
“The makeup reflects a balance of innovation and elegance. Eyes are sculpted with nude tones, which defined the majority of the looks, accented with shimmering hues of lemon yellow, pink, gold, and blue—drawing inspiration from vintage ribbons Daniel discovered. This interplay of subtlety and vibrancy echoes the collection’s delicate yet bold character. The result is a look that marries individuality with timeless sophistication,” said McGrath.
Coach worked with Pat McGrath Labs to capture the essence of individuality, focusing on clean skin and natural beauty, the minimal makeup trend continuing to dominate the runway as Coach Show featured Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation and Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Blurring Under-Eye Powder. The eyes had depth and were defined using the Mothership I: Subliminal Eye Shadow Palette.
Jones Road: Ending her eight year hiatus from NYFW, founder Bobbi Brown crafted looks for Lingua Franca’s debut runway show hosted at The Bowery. The focus of the show was to highlight the best of downtown New York. “There's not one signature look,” explained Brown. “Jones Road is creating an adaptable look to suit each model's personality so that when they hit that runway, they exude pure confidence because they know they look incredible and feel like themselves on their very best day.” Brown started with a glowing face base, with the focus on the eyes, using the Jones Road Gel Liner in shades brown, black, navy, and violet to align with Lingua Franca’s garment pallets.
NARS: The artistry-driven makeup brand, known for its bold and edgy luxury products, led the way backstage at the Khaite show. Makeup artist Diane Kendal switched focus from the glowy skin looks across other collections, giving models a matte base finish. Kendal used cool tones for contouring using both Laguna Bronzing Cream and Koh Rong Quad Eyeshadow. Some models had a swipe of abstract black, oil-paint-like marks across one or both lids, which Kendal used Vio Veneta High-Pigment Longwear Eyeliner and Climax Liquid Liner to create.
Laura Mercier: The brand was the official makeup sponsor of Simkhai, led by Global Beauty Director Tayaba Jafri, who created matte bases with bronzy eyes, while still focusing on minimalism. The looks featured the new Tinted Moisturizer Blurred Matte Oil Free Broad Spectrum SPF 30, as well as Blush Color Infusion in shades Ginger and Chai, and upcoming launch Bronze Colour Infusion.
Tilt Beauty: Newly-launched inclusive beauty brand Tilt Beauty was the official makeup sponsor of Monse, working with celebrity makeup artist and Tilt Creative Director of Makeup Diane Buzzetta to create looks inspired by the collections idea of “a staycation in a hotel.”
“For this look, we wanted something fresh, healthy, and effortlessly enhanced. The whole look is natural with subtle glossy hues to the lips and cheeks. We used our two newest launches—Lashscape Mascara and Grip Stick Hydrating Lip Treatment—to create a natural yet radiant finish. Grip Stick, gives that “your lips but better” effect while deeply hydrating—our models have been loving how comfortable it feels. We've also been dabbing it on the cheeks for that hint of color and shiny look, thanks to our skin-loving ingredient, Tilt Calm Complex. For the eyes, it's all about lift and length. Lashscape Mascara is designed with an ergonomic wand that hugs the lash line perfectly, delivering the ideal swipe for lifted, lengthened lashes. The overall vibe is fresh, flushed, and hydrated—the perfect pairing with Tilt Beauty,” said Buzzetta.
Tweezerman: As the official brow and lash tool grooming sponsor of Prabal Gurung FW25, Tweezerman tapped makeup artist Sil Bruinsma to create clean, fresh-faced looks. Bruinsma began with theTweezerman 3-in-1 Facial Roller Set to depuff and cool, going on to sculpt the face with the Tweezerman Stainless Steel Gua Sha. Brows and lashes were perfected with a polished look, enhanced by products such as the Tweezerman Classic Slant Tweezer and Tweezerman ProMaster Lash Curler. On rounded eyes, Bruinsma used the Tweezerman Procurl Lash Curler. The collaboration emphasized the importance of beauty prep tools to ensure the best outcome for makeup.
Lashify: Followinga recent collaboration, Lashify tapped Isamaya Ffrench to bring the brand's nature-inspired vision to life backstage at Thom Browne. “The inspiration for the first look came from birds—we wanted to bring a magical story to life through makeup,” said Isamaya Ffrench. “We're working with Lashify, who is sponsoring the show, and I collaborated with them to create the EDGE and EDGE X Gossamer Lashes, designed to mimic a graphic eyeliner effect. We’re using the EDGE X Gossamer Lashes to create a beautifully tapered wing, layering the lashes for added depth, and then enhancing them with beautiful, bird-like feathers to create extra bulk and density to the lash.”
When speaking about the second look, Ffrench explained, “It’s a very spiky, academia-inspired look with a tie print painted over their lips. The models are wearing Lashify’s Cherry Gossamer Lashes for spikes, as well as spectacles that are wrapped around the head. The subtle tie-print detail on the lips is a nod to Thom Browne’s visionary collection.”
“Having Lashify as a sponsor for the second year in a row is a true honor,” added Thom Browne. “This partnership deepens the story we tell on the runway and reflects our shared philosophy: a commitment to craftsmanship, pushing boundaries, and redefining beauty and fashion standards in a modern world.”
Kosas: At Oscar de la Renta’s show, lead makeup artist Nam Vo created “cloud-skin” focused makeup looks.
“This season, it's all about the return of freshness and simplicity, and I've always said that beautiful makeup starts with beautiful skin, which is what Kosas is known for. For Oscar de la Renta’s Fall 2025 collection, the team wanted to explore the beauty of the blossoming tree peony, which perfectly tied into the dreamy shades and texture of Kosas’s new Cloud Set Loose Powder. It sweeps away shine, not glow; that way you can still be a dewy dumpling! This powder is not only ultra-translucent but fully melts into skin to give that airbrushed finish. It just softens lightly and looks absolutely beautiful,” said Vo. You'll see that every model walking down the runway … they're not competing with the dress. It's the beauty and the simplicity of the skin that shows through. You’ll see that they have a soft highlight on the high points of the cheekbone (we used Wet Lip Oil Gloss as a very editorial touch here) and in the center of the face. The whole look is very ethereal and diffused, so we're really spotlighting true Kosas Cloud Skin.”
Bumble and bumble: The cruelty-free haircare brand was a core component of the Collina Strada runway. Lead stylist Mustafa Yanaz used products including Bumble and bumble Spray de Mode Flexible Hold Hairspray and Bumble and bumbleHairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer to create unique punk-inspired looks with a focus on the texture and movement of the hair. The carefree modern take on the 1970s New York punk movement featured the models’ natural hair texture raised with products to give subtle devil horn-looking flicks, aligning with the nonconformist “fempire” theme of the show.
“Feminity is not a set of instructions. It’s a mess of beautiful contraction—fierce and soft, dark and illuminating, private and protective, unapologetically visible and glam,” read the show notes.
Bumble and bumble also worked with Christopher John Rodgers, as lead stylist Sonny Molina created a series of bold and structured hairstyles to complement the structured silhouettes on the runway. A running theme across the hair styles was strong, structured bangs, which Molina credited to Spray de Mode Flexible Hold Hairspray for providing hold and shine to the sharp geometric shaping of the hair. Accompanying the bangs were a variation of slicked back hairstyles with intricately twisted buns. Molina used Bumble and bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer to prepare and protect the hair, going on to use Bumble and bumble Thickening Full Form Soft Hair Mousse to give texture to the twisted buns. The stylist also used Bumble and bumble Curl Defining Cream to create a constraining natural/curly look on the runway, adding definition to the models’ hair.
Amika: The buzzy haircare brand sponsored the Sandy Liang NYFW FW25 show, working with celebrity hairstylist Evanie Frausto. "The inspiration behind the look today was creating a really hot hair look, that is literally hot but also sexy-hot. When creating the looks for the show, we envisioned a New York girl that just got off work, dressed head-to-toe in layers and a little sweaty, but looking incredible and fresh!” Frausto said backstage.
The hero look of the show was an updo. Models sported either a high ponytail or a swept back lived-in claw clip look, kept in place using Amika’s Fluxus Touchable Flexible Hold Hairspray and SuperFruit Star Lightweight Hair Styling Oil.
Borgehese: The legacy Italian skincare brand delivered backstage self-care to the Christian Siriano show, soothing and prepping skin for the runway, acting fast with only one minute per model.
“Borghese's backstage facial for hydrated, glowing skin infuses a moment of Italian spa serenity into the hustle of NYFW. The secret to the models' smooth, nourished skin is Advanced Fango Active Mud Mask, which minimizes pores and replenishes in minutes. Skin was then drenched in hydration with Curaforte Moisture Intensifier, followed by a single dose, biodegradable Power-C Firming and Brightening Serum Capsule to brighten,” the brand said in a statement.
Peach & Lily: The skincare brand brought a focus to glowing skin at the Prabal Gurung show, led by Sil Bruinsma. The look was achieved using Wild Dew Treatment Essence, Glass Skin Refining Serum, and Matcha Pudding Moisturizer for a deeply hydrated base, topped off with the Glass Skin Luminizing Stick.
111SKIN: 111SKIN sponsored the Altuzarra NYFW show, with esthetician Sylvia Gorzkowska preparing models for the runway. Gorkowska created bright, sculpted skin, using Celestial Black Diamond Brightening Essence to prep the skin for the rest of the routine. Skin brightening was made possible through Black Diamond Vitamin C to balance dull and tired skin, followed by an unreleased product Dark Spot Correcting Serum.
Facile: The LA-based skincare brand made their FW debut at Sandy Liang. Treatment began with a light oxygen facial and lymphatic drainage followed by The Core 4, a set of easy-to-use daily skincare products to help achieve and maintain the best version of the skin. The process was finished with either Distress Serum (to reduce redness and inflammation) or Brighten Serum (to even skin tone and boost collagen for brighter skin).
CND Shellac: Celebrity manicurist and lead nail designer Julie Kandalec crafted several nail looks for the Christian Cowan show. “Nails are the perfect finishing touch to any look—they complete the vision. Julie’s incredible artistry takes it to the next level, elevating the entire look. We spent weeks finalizing the designs, ensuring every detail was perfect. I was thrilled to collaborate with her on these nails, seamlessly blending our new signature polka dots and seasonal feather details,” said designer Christian Cowan.
“For the main look, we wanted to highlight the cutout circles in a subtle way. I love tonal designs and playing with different levels of opacity, so I designed this look to have both, and in 10 shades of peach, sheer white, and mocha, from the most translucent pink to a deep chocolate brown from CND Shellac. The semicircles were hand-painted in a painterly way with blurred edges. For the feather nails, I knew that I wanted to create something big and bold—so I attached the feather in reverse, almost as if the models were writing with a quill pen,” said Kandalec.
Glamnetic: For the brand's first NYFW, Glamnetic’s press-on nails were selected to complement Oscar de la Renta’s stunning runway looks ensuring models’ manicures were as effortlessly chic as the collection itself. From sleek, modern designs to timeless elegance, each set was carefully curated to enhance the show’s overall aesthetic, epitomizing the collection’s commitment to sophisticated craftsmanship and luxurious elegance.
New York Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025 reaffirmed the beauty industry's integral role in shaping runway narratives. From Pat McGrath Labs' avant-garde artistry to the precision grooming of Tweezerman, every backstage collaboration demonstrated the power of beauty to enhance a designer’s vision. This season placed a strong emphasis on skincare-infused makeup, natural hair, and effortless polish, reflecting shifting consumer preferences toward high-performance, hybrid products. The presence of legacy brands like Bobbi Brown’s Jones Road, alongside disruptors like Lashify and Tilt Beauty, illustrates the evolving landscape of beauty—one that balances heritage with innovation.
As NYFW continues to serve as both a creative platform and a business incubator, the trends seen backstage will inevitably shape the wider beauty market. Whether it’s the resurgence of glossy, undone hair or the rising demand for sculpted, radiant skin, the industry’s key players have once again proven that beauty is more than an accessory—it’s an essential component of fashion’s global influence.
