Discover Our Backstage Experience At Paris Fashion Week
It was all wall-to-wall dewy, radiant skin and mariachi bands at this year’s Paris Couture Week…
Here at 111SKIN we were privileged enough to have a presence at the most revered week of the Fashion calendar, Paris Couture Week. This was our second-year spent in Paris with a backstage presence at the haute couture presentations, prepping models’ skin ahead of a myriad of shows. From breath-taking bridal gowns to memorable production, we provide an insight into the fairylike whirlwind that is Paris Couture Week, and what 111SKIN did there.
What is Paris Couture Week?
The most respected Fashion Houses’ display their haute couture contributions biannually, as Paris turns its magic to couture for a week each year in January and July. These presentations remain the most valued, expensive and exclusive displays the Fashion World has to offer. Although these pieces are priced beyond most of our budgets, just seeing some of these garments is enough to make the hairs on your arms stand to attention. Trust us on this.
Ateliers from all over the world display their masterful craftsmanship to rows of the style-set, Fashion Editors, and world’s wealthiest shoppers who eagerly wait in the wings to buy the whimsical pieces. For those not in the know, imagine the anthesis of ready-to-wear. Haute couture, in all of its aspirational wonder, harnesses the raw creativity of designers, and challenges the most skilled ateliers to the upmost extremes. Often one struggles to think where you can wear a lot of these pieces, but thankfully for those of us here at 111SKIN who saw the show, there is no shortage of interest in these enchanting displays. As we sat and watched, it was hard not to be swept up on the most magical of journeys.
Ralph & Russo’s spectacle of whimsical, Mexican inspired outfits was a colourful display of haute couture at its finest. Met by a line-up handsome mariachis, setting the tone of the show from the outset. Inspired by the most famous Mexican diva of all time, María Félix, Tamara Ralph spoke of her influencer: “I love her passion, her charisma, her sensuality. She was elegant, but she didn’t take fashion so seriously. We wanted to have fun this season and to celebrate her cinematic Latin-American glamour.” A feast for the eyes, the entire 111SKIN team were in collective awe as we were beholden of the dreamlike pieces, styled so effortlessly by renowned stylist-to-the-stars, Elizabeth Saltzman.
Another dimension that 111SKIN really noticed was the radically diverse casting. Celia Kritharioti’s show was a true representation of this, with the presence of a male dancer dressed in a gown opening the show, dancing to a provocative music. Followed swiftly by a troupe of female acrobats falling dramatically from the ceiling in gowns. The entire production and choreography was something to behold, climaxed by the Bride gliding along with catwalk with a veil held in the air by a delicate assortment of a dozen bespoke balloons. Could you imagine anything more beautiful? This presentation had real soul, you could taste the creativity and feel the passion in the air produced by Celia and her team. It was tangible.
What did we do?
111SKIN spent a whirlwind 48 hours in beautiful Paris. On arrival we were embraced by Parisian charm at the Boucheron After Party, swept up in the warmth of Hotel de Nocé by the quintessentially French vocals of charmed Angèle.
The whirlwind swirled on as we woke up and prepped models’ skin backstage at Ralph & Russo, we flew out one of our Trainer and Aestheticians to perform facials on the models, creating the perfect base for make-up application.
Working alongside famed hair-wizard Larry King and make-up mastermind Sam Bryant, it was a hive of activity backstage. We cleansed the skin, followed by a layer of 111SKIN Antioxidant Energising Essence, infused with revitalising ingredients and powerful antioxidants the Energising Essence balances the skin, provides instant hydration and fights the signs of ageing. Following a massage, we applied our famed 111SKIN Facial Masks (Bio Cellulose Facial Treatment Mask, Anti Blemish Bio Cellulose Facial Mask, Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask and Celestial Black Diamond Lifting and Firming Facial Mask) or Eye Masks (Single Sub-Zero De-Puffing Eye Mask, Celestial Black Diamond Eye Mask). In particular, our Anti Blemish Bio Cellulose Facial Mask was popular amongst the models, catering to skin that is constantly to combatting the consequences of heavy make-up. A highly targeted, intelligent mask system containing two separate halves with unique ingredients to tackle distinctive blemish triggers. Mask 1 addresses excess shine without interrupting moisture; Mask 2 focuses on hormone-caused eruptions to neutralise and relieve redness. We were particularly pleased to hear that Ralph & Russo’s bride, Elsa Hosk strongly endorsed our clarity range, saying that it “changed her life”.
We performed the same 111SKIN backstage routine at Celia Kritharioti’s show the following day, adapting it slightly by applying models’ with our Celestial Black Diamond Lifting and Firming Neck Mask too. This addition was a result of the décolletage being a focal point of Celia’s show, complementing the delicate silhouettes of the pieces. As Dr. Yannis’s often says “the neck is the new face!” We were also delighted to perform an extended facial on Celia’s Bride, Model and Russian Socialite Lena Perminova, who spoke of her affinity with 111SKIN.
- From 111SKIN devotee Elsa Hosk gracing the Ralph & Russo show as the Bride in a walk to remember, eating snails in the snow by the Seine to drinking champagne at Fouquet's, it was a 111SKIN trip to remember. The snow optimised the magic of the Spring-Summer 2019 shows, a true exhibition of the world's top couturiers. 111SKIN had a second taste of this enchantment, and now look forward to having a third bite in July. Bring it on!
