NEW YORK, Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- As the official make-up sponsor of New York, London, Athens, South Africa and Sydney Fashion Weeks, M.A.C Pro Make-up Artists truly understand and celebrate the idea of global beauty and fashion. These highly skilled artists (combined with talented freelance artists hailing from all over the world) are the superhuman force behind the gorgeous makeup trends seen on nearly every runway in the world.
For Spring/Summer 2008 in New York, M.A.C Artists will be creating looks for 70 shows including Carolina Herrera, L.A.M.B, Rodarte, Heatherette, J.Mendel and Baby Phat. "We have grown from a brand that supported six designers in 1995, to a brand supporting over 150 designers in 2007," says President of M.A.C Cosmetics, John Demsey. "M.A.C Cosmetic's commitment to fashion week has increased exponentially over the years. We use fashion as a base to stay top-of-trend and reach the consumer through the artist's voices."
M.A.C Pro Artist teams work closely with make-up artist luminaries such as Tom Pecheux, Diane Kendal, Charlotte Tilbury and Polly Osmond. "Our Artists are backstage visionaries -- creating looks for renowned fashion designers, and emerging talent," says Gordon Espinet, Chief Make-up Artist at M.A.C. Cosmetics. "During the entire run of Fashion Week, all of our artists have their brushes on the pulse of make-up trends."
And during this period, each artist is armed with an arsenal of M.A.C products-including the new 2008 Spring/Summer color collections, as well as products still in development. "Artists give us specific feedback about texture, color and application," says Jennifer Balbier, Senior Vice President of Product Development. "We'll go back and reformulate based on artist feedback. Many of M.A.C's most successful products were experimented with backstage before they hit counters. "When the make-up artists flip out over a product-like they did when we gave them lab samples of Pro Lash mascara and Studio Tech foundation -- we know it has a good chance of being an instant success," says Espinet. "Plus we know it's a good sign if models grab the new product for themselves."
This season, product development teams from M.A.C will be swarming fashion week to observe a new foundation for dry/mature skin, which, after two years in development, will undergo intense backstage scrutiny. "It's an exciting time for us because, it's not just about what's new on the runway, it's also about what's new backstage," says Balbier.
Which products are poised for a breakout performance during the Spring/Summer '08 shows? The Mineralized loose powder and extensions of the Mineralized line already on counters are the most anticipated new arrivals. "Our Mineralized Skin Finish baked mineral powders are a perfect texture for Spring/Summer. You can use it as foundation, powder or blush -- we can't keep it on the shelves," says Balbier.
This season, MAC Cosmetics has partnered with WWD.com to launch an exclusive beauty site during Fashion Week. This sub-site will provide daily beauty tips and trends on top runway shows from New York, London, Paris and Milan. Each featured show will have the runway shot, the Key Makeup Artist's inspiration, and detailed information about M.A.C products used backstage. Log-on to WWD.com and click on "MAC Backstage."
MAC Global Communications
Direct from Backstage @ Fashion Week to Your Vanity - MAC Cosmetics Leads Hot Looks
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