New York Fashion Week Men’s Matthew Adams Dolan Fall Winter 2017 Men’s Show was presented at Skylight: Clarkson Square with Axe. Check it out.
Matthew Adam Dolan’s fall/winter 2017 collection is a mature and interesting progression for the young designer hailing from Massachusetts, a moment of relaxation as New York Men’s fashion week drew to a close. The practical implication is this: the Dolan show was a feverish snooze-fest in the best way possible. An extended sleepover interrupted by a collective nightmare, perhaps one that involves being consumed by the sheets and duvets themselves. Sure enough, Matthew Adams Dolan seemed to have successfully channeled some of the high concept (see: unwearable) looks from this 2005 Viktor & Rolf show into something much younger and more interesting. It works for Dolan because draping and oversized has always been the name of his game, an expert in outsized garments that most designers saw as little more than a passing trend. While concept is certainly here (the presentation took place primarily on a pristine white-sheeted bed with flush-cheeked models getting cozy, or taking a page from John and Yoko’s “Love Not War” protest, which took place on a bed). When standing, the looks aren’t uncontrollable wads of fabric, but measured amounts of overflow, adding an element of couture to Dolan’s RTW. With classic bedroom fabrics and tones (think pastel, navy blue, white) transitioned into oversized sweatpants paired with a oxford shirt or a giant dark “kimono” (really the childhood king-of-the-castle blanket look made chic), maybe it was all just a fantasy for all those involved, not the nightmare from which they woke.
Backstage, we spoke to AXE team members who worked on hair and makeup to guide us through some of the looks.
John Ruidant on hair, using AXE products:
John Ruidant: We had a mix of guys and girls for this show. The concept was disheveled, waking from a nightmare, so dewy, sweaty; undone. So to get that texture, we did a bit of salt-spray. Blow-dry that in, then through the hairline, do Smooth Look Shine Pomade around the baby hairs to make them seem more moist, then in the rest of the hair, we used Messy Look Flexible Paste.
For the girls, four of them had buns that were inspired by the new Star Wars buns, which was nice. Same thing, blow-dry the salt-spray in very loosely, then did a half-up, half-down look, a pony tail at the top, then one down, then looped it and secured with a bobby pin. We finished with the Clean Cut Look Classic Pomade to contrast the frizziness of the bun with the sleek top look.
Misha Shahzada on makeup:
Misha: For the Matthew Dolan show, its ten male models and ten female models. They’re all having the same makeup throughout. Its kind of a very dewy, highlighted skin texture, almost like feverish with flushed cheeks and stained lips, like a bitten lip. It’s really cool.
The Knockturnal: How long would it take to achieve it at home?
Misha: We avoided any foundation, so its really just concealer, and we went over the skin entirely with Elizabeth Arden eight-hour cream, to give it that really dewy look. He wanted them to look naturally sweaty, like they woke up from a nightmare, like a feverish workout. Then you apply any berry-colored stain to the lips and cheeks.
The Knockturnal: And just using store-bought products?
Misha: Any cream blush in a raspberry shade works on just about everybody. The eight-hour cream works for healing, as a balm, for burns. And we did some contour around the eyes, a light taupe color around the sockets, and brushed the eyebrows. No powder at all for this look.
