Someone needed to bring some theatrics to Fashion Week this year, and Marc Jacobs did so quite literally on Thursday evening at the Ziegfeld Theatre. But past the marquee, past the red carpet, past Beth Ditto slithering out from under tables backstage (hi, Beth!), was makeup that wasn't so much glamorous as it was a celebration of grunge. Ziggy Stardust slept in his makeup and now he's going to walk a Marc Jacobs show in the remnants. Starlets from the '40s out all night dancing was the reference on everyone's lips. Also John Waters' version of Americana. Girls were slick and messy. But most of all, they were made-up.

Of course there is always the 'Is this wearable?' question—and the answer is most likely no, unless you're really feeling like the grunge belle of the ball. But that doesn't mean that it wasn't exciting to see. And there's plenty to learn from it in all of its unwearable glory. Want to get something different out of your bright red lipstick? Blot the bullet on your fingertips first, then apply with your hands. And who among us isn't thinking about blue cream eyeshadow now (specifically the Nars Eye Paint in Solomon Islands)? Inspiration can come from stranger places than a Marc Jacobs show.

Guido Palau (Redken): “So the hair at Marc Jacobs today has a ‘40s feeling to it with the shape. Though it’s disheveled, and there are bits sticking out. It’s taken to a modernity by the product, which is Redken Guts 10, and then the Forceful 23. The combination the two products gives a shiny finish but with a hold to it. It’s got a punky feeling because it’s raw and it’s young, and it’s like a girl who’s done it herself but she’s inspired by the ‘40s. So it’s got all those kind of elements to it. In some ways, it’s super feminine, but in a very downtown kind of way.”

François Nars : “Marc likes the idea that the models look a little bit worn out, like they have been out all night, just sweating but still have those bright bits of color without looking too well-done. She's wearing too much mascara, no foundation, dark circles. We are breaking all the cosmetic rules. [Laughs] The girls should still look really interesting and beautiful and more like characters without looking like they have come out from a makeup salon. It’s really the opposite of that look. Whatever makeup we do at the shows always looks like it has lived, that it’s not pretty. We don’t like pretty.

There's a lot of shine—we just use Vaseline on the lids, cheekbones, and a lot under the eyes. There's no foundation and no concealer. We actually created dark circles, a little bit brown under the eyes, a little bit tired. But then at the same time they look so beautiful anyway, so it’s not a problem.

The mascara is like spider legs—the more the better! Really dirty and sticking together to give the effect that it’s the piling of the mascara for a couple days. You can add some powder so it thickens the lashes a little bit more and makes them look stuck together, but really by adding coat after coat—about five or six coats—it's enough. Then we chose a turquoise blue placed on the inner corner of the eye, not on the outer corner because we really like the idea that it’s not a shade, it’s not a cat-eye, nothing like that. It’s a bit more interesting and there’s a lot of bright colors in the clothes. There are some blues, some reds, golds, and sequins. It’s unbelievable with beautiful embroidery, it’s very downtown rock, but at the same time looks like a couture show. I actually added some brown to make it a little bit more dirty so it doesn’t look too blue. We applied a little bit of greasy brown over the eyelid…the brown disappears, but it’s still there because it looks a bit more dirty.

There is absolutely nothing in the brows. I like when they are not even brushed because, again, the idea is just a girl who is very glamorous, but a different type of glamorous. It’s more like a rock glamour, more sophisticated. And for the lips, again we liked the idea that they were not drawn very well. It’s the same spirit—she went out all night, so it’s a little bit of what’s left after dancing all night.”

Photographed by Tom Newton. Video edited by Maya Margolina.

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