Good Grace!

Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
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Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
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Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
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Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
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Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
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Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
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Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
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Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
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Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
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Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
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Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013
Grace Mahoney, Topshop AW 2013

That’s a wrap for London Fashion Week! And if there were three things people were talking about, they were: 1) how it was sunny (gasp!), 2) Tom Ford's return to traditional runway, and 3) Cara Delevingne, who must have gotten to and from shows via a teleportation contraption because girl was everywhere. Her only competition for MVP of the week? 23-year-old Canadian newcomer Grace Mahary, who walked for Alex Wang and Marc Jacobs in New York before taking London by storm (Christopher Kane, Peter Pilotto, Erdem, and Giles, to name a few). “Before this, I was studying physical education and health, playing basketball, and being a jock,” she told us, backstage at the Topshop Unique show on Sunday. “I played for school and for clubs. I fought modeling for a while—I really didn’t want to do it—but my agent was really, really persistent and promised that I could move to Toronto and play basketball at the same time, so I did it. My goal is to bring a basketball onto the runway at some point. Givenchy did do that one couture presentation in a basketball gymnasium, so we’re getting somewhere!”

Grace's eyes, at this particular hour on this particular afternoon, were a bright sky-blue (perfectly complementing her outsized “Missy Elliott from Supa Dupa Fly” blue satin ensemble), courtesy of Topshop Makeup Consultant Hannah Murray. “We’re doing an early-'90s Brit Pop eye,” Murray explained. “It’s kind of inspired by Justine Frischmann from Elastica; it’s a bit punk, I suppose. There aren’t any lines, but the blue is quite solid: we’re using a new eye shadow that’s coming out, called Solstice—it’s a chalky blue—over a new cream eye color I did for spring-summer that’s a blue/gray. We’re making an almond shape with the cream, then layering the powder on top so it really takes. So, that’s where you get your intensity from. It’s not a soft, ethereal look…it’s pretty bold. I think it feels unexpected and fresh.”

And how does Grace stay fresh, during her first full-fledged season? “For beauty, hmm…well, do you want to know my secret tea?” Obviously. “It’s the real rooibos. Not the rooibos at Starbucks—the real South African rooibos. It’s from a company called Glen. I drink it every day—I think it makes your skin so smooth, and increases circulation. I’ll also do a scrub now and then, just whatever’s around. Now hair, hair is a different story! It’s all mine. I use all kinds of masks; I use one every single night of [fashion] show month. I used to religiously live by the Moroccan Oil one, but then I heard it has a little bit too much silicone in it. So, I’m testing out new things right now. Like, an argan oil treatment; Or, I’ll go into Harlem and get the cholesterol treatment—it’s literally called 'Cholesterol Treatment.' [Laughs] I’ll just smother my hair in it—it’s all about hydration with my hair. It’s a religion.”

Don’t worry—we asked for her to keep us posted on the best masks.

Photographed by Emily Weiss in London on February 17th, 2013.