NARS created the look for the Marc Jacobs runway show.LEAD ARTIST: François Nars, Founder & Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics. TREND: Strong eyes, glowing skin and nude, glossy lips.

Backstage at Marc Jacobs for Spring 2012, New York Fashion Week

INSPIRATION & LOOK: “Marc had a lot of images of Patsy Klein, Amy Winehouse, and Cowboy Kate, a book from the 60’s whose character Kate had heavy eyelashes,” said Founder and Creative Director François Nars.

“The complexion is meant to look like it’s glowing, like the girls have been dancing, and by eliminating the blush it gives a strange, otherworldly effect. The focus was really on the eye, with a well-defined brow. The combination of different touches creates a decadent, French sensuality and makes the girls more like characters.”

Here’s how to…

FACE

· Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer – new for Spring 2012; for now try a light application of Sheer Glow Foundation

BROWS

· Pandora Duo Eyeshadow (on brows)

EYES

· Via Veneto Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner

· Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara

LIPS

· Madere Pure Matte Lipstick

· Striptease Lip Gloss

All products, except where noted, are available at narscosmetics.com.

François Nars, on the look created at the Spring 2012 Marc Jacobs runway show.

1. What kind of look did you want to create for Marc’s show?

Marc showed me images of Amy Winehouse, Patsy Klein, and Sweet Charity – all of whom had inspired him. Because the girls are to be staring into the eyes of the audience when the curtain opens, we decided to focus on the eyes. We were inspired by this book from the 1960s, Cowboy Kate, whose character wore false eyelashes and Marc mentioned Bob Fosse (the choreographer) and so it was really important to make the girls look like dancers, to treat them like characters not models. The skin is meant to look like it is dewy, like the girls have been dancing – it’s very Cabaret. We used the new Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer instead of foundation.

2. What beauty technique did you use to bring Marc’s vision to life?

We used three pairs of false eyelashes for each girl! We actually had to cut them very precisely. The inner corners of one pair were cut off and applied to the inner corners. Then, we cut the remaining two pairs in half and used the outer halves on the outer corners, not at the same time of course. We applied one set, and then followed with the next.

3. What kind of affect does this create?

It makes the eyes look really full along the outer corners. It’s very decadent, very French, very Marc. We used Via Veneto Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner to line the eyes and eliminate the space between the lashes and the lash line. And then applied Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara for additional emphasis.

4. What about the rest of the look – especially the brows? They are very defined.

In order to keep the focus on the eyes, we needed to create a frame around them, which is exactly what brows do to the face. We made them very dark with the black side of Pandora Duo Eyeshadow, so that they look like dancers. In the past we’ve always done really minimal brows or bleached them completely so this was different for us. The brow is sharply defined from inner to outer ends. It’s very monochromatic.

5. Hence the reason for no blush and nude lips?

Yes- there is no color. The lips have Madere Pure Matte Lipstick applied for a nude, very couture look and topped it with Striptease Lip Gloss for shine. And absolutely no blush- when you look at the girls, it’s really like you are looking at a black and white film – there is no color.

6. You mention Amy Winehouse- what about Amy inspired the look exactly?

The look for Marc was very similar to Amy’s in that the skin is transparent. The direct inspiration was not a literal reference but to evoke the overall feeling or essence of her. The hair, the lashes and also her skin. She never wore a lot of foundation; just eye makeup.

IMAGE CREDIT: © 2011 Wireimage