Harlem Fashion Row’s 2024 Fashion Show Pays homage to natural beauty – Essence

One thing Harlem Fashion Row is all about is honoring Black excellence, beauty, and grace. NYFW kicked off its SS25 season with the 17th annual fashion show and awards ceremony founded by Brandice Daniel. The evening honored some of fashion’s biggest names: Naomi Campbell, Teyana Taylor, Samira Nasr, and Shiona Turini.

Not only that, it was a time to highlight new collections from rising Black designers like Aaron Potts, Nicole Benefield, and LaTouché. There were, of course, some inspiring makeup and hair moments to accompany the looks, which ranged from tailored suits to daring maxi skirts.

Ricky WilsonThe celebrity makeup artist told ESSENCE that she loves “raising awareness for people to care for the ocean when it comes to fashion and sustainability.” Backstage before the show, the celebrity makeup artist used vibrant colors (like aqua green eyeliner) as a way to highlight the models’ features and be “a little more fun and creative when it comes to makeup.”

For Benefield’s collection, she added a “modern twist” to the classic ’60s vibe. However, she opted for long, dramatic lashes and a glossy complexion. “The big lashes are all about reimagining the classic ’60s eye makeup,” Wilson says. “The reason we didn’t use any eyeshadow with this was because it was just going to be a classic ’60s look,” she explains. To modernize things, “we just put on a little bit of eyeliner and made the lashes stand out.”

For LaTouché, they reinterpreted the ’90s supermodel look (think Naomi Campbell) by embracing natural beauty and glowing skin. Wilson Dior Forever Skin Glow Moisturizing Foundation to create a natural glow.

No show is complete without signature hair. In this show, everything came together thanks to the famous hair stylist Mary SimonSince the theme of the show was “under the sea,” she “asked us to create textures and waves,” Simone says, adding an accessory that caught our attention.

With that in mind, “we decided to incorporate seashells. She felt it gave a calming and relaxing feeling.” The hair, Pattern Beauty Edge Control, Pattern Beauty Strong Hold Gel, Pattern Beauty Milk Spray And Pattern Beauty Curl Gel.

For Benefield, she opted for a wet look, using straight lines instead of waves. And she decided to touch on LaTouché’s theme with a classic ’60s bouffant ponytail. “We use milk spray to soften the hair and use curl definition to apply the curls and add more texture to the hair.”

While beauty trends come and go in the beauty industry, Simone predicts one trend for upcoming shows. “I find that most designers want to see the natural texture in the model’s hair.” Ultimately, natural beauty and hair will always win.