New York Fashion Week Fall 2012: Backstage Beauty At Diane Von Furstenberg

The Inspiration: The mystery of a rendezvous

Beauty at Diane von Furstenberg's fall 2012 show. Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Makeup: After nearly getting trampled by a stampede of videographers, editors and fashion industry fringe backstage at Diane Von Furstenberg, I made my way to MAC Cosmetics artist James Kaliardos who was creating what he called "a veil over the eyes." He explained, "Diane and I both thought of smoke. It felt like Elsa Schiaparelli, when fashion and surrealism was mixing in the 1930s." Kaliardos mimicked "very nice skin" with Matchmaster Foundation and a nude cream blush. He then applied Pro Longwear Eye Shadow (aptly named Lingering Softly) on the entire lid to add depth. Black liner was pressed closely into the top lash line, while gray was used in the waterline. A hazy powder intensified the brows without making the shape to precise. He placed MAC Clear Gloss to the center of eyelids, then coated the models' lashes with black mascara. Kaliardos finished the look by loosely filling in lips with Soar (a dusty rose) lip pencil.

Hair at Diane von Furstenberg's fall 2012 show. Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Hair: Hands sticky from product buildup, Phyto stylist Orlando Pita and I greeted each other warmly with an elbow rub as he talked about DVF envisioning a tight hairdo that embodied a strong, confident woman. Pita pulled it all together by using one of his tried and true tricks: blasting the brush with hairspray before blow-drying to tame flyaways. Next, he created a deep side part and worked Phytolisse Ultra-Shine Smoothing Serum through the models' hairt to make sure it was super shiny. To create the tight bun, first he gathered hair into a low ponytail, then added Pro Wet Gel to the ends before twisting into a chignon and securing with bobby pins.