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Categories
| Dramatic flair |
| Written by Elaine Lau | |||
| Friday, 26 June 2009 12:05 | |||
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The cosmetics brand credited with having started this beauty trend is none other than cult-Japanese brand Shu Uemura, which introduced the Tokyo Lash Bar in 2004. Shu Uemura, known for being a trendsetter in cosmetics, came out with dramatic lashes that recorded new lengths, dimensions and designs and were made from unconventional materials such as feather, mink, lace, velvet and twill. They were the ultimate in wearable art — women looking to add a subtle accent or bold theatrical flutter to their eyes were spoilt for choice with the various Tokyo Lash Bar collections, which offered everything from ultra-feminine lashes to the edgy and fantastical. Last year saw a collaboration with one of the hottest duos in fashion, Dutch designers Viktor and Rolf, who lent their artistic and conceptual approach to design in creating the Couture Collection of lashes. Theatrical would be the word to describe the three lash designs that the duo came up with. This year, Shu Uemura’s four top make-up artists, who looked to nature for inspiration, created the 2009 collection of Lashes in Nature, which is divided into four series. In the Deep Forest series, Kakuyasu Uchiide, international artistic director for Shu Uemura, blends contemporary glamour with nature’s wild yet fragile essence. The Goldglam Leaf lashes are made using leaf spines and are accented with crystals that evoke morning dew sitting atop a leaf, reminiscent of that left by Mother Nature. The Fluffy Tail lashes are as the name suggests — bushy lashes with charming fur accents that flutter like a squirrel’s tail.  “The intricate forms of leaves and squirrels are childhood memories for me,” says Uchiide in a statement. “The beauty of these forms inspires strong feelings. The concept of these eyelashes is to recreate this kind of beauty in an accessory.” Gina Brooke, Shu Uemura’s artistic director for the US, says her Flower Garden series came about while glancing out at her garden one day, where upon sighting large arrangements of peonies and lavender, she was instantly inspired to use them for her lash designs. “Flowers have always inspired me, lifted my spirit and given me positive energy and happiness. I wanted to share these feelings using the flower garden idea,” she says in a statement. Brooke’s dramatic and elegant Fleur-Ever lashes echo the articulated tail of a bird with exotic purple and white-flecked plumage, with petal-like forms hidden inside the lash that bring to mind a bouquet of sweet peonies. The very feminine Lavender Bloom piece comprises deep purple-toned lashes made from soft fur-like materials that give a subtle appearance. The aquamarine hues of the ocean and the life teeming within were what captured Yuji Asano’s heart and mind. The Shu Uemura international chief make-up artist’s Great Marine series pays homage to the deep blue sea, which is captured and reflected stunningly in the Marine Tide lashes. Crafted in varying shades of blue, from sea to sky and deep turquoise and finished with a sprinkling of white, the lashes have a unique curl design that echoes the undulating roll of the ocean’s tidal cycle. Asano’s Mermaid Tears lashes, inspired by the beautiful scales of tropical fish, are dotted with specks of transparent film that shine like a hologram. What’s more, the detailed structure and flittering shine of the lashes bring to mind delicate flower petals floating in water. Mina Matsumura, Shu Uemura’s artistic director for Europe, was attracted by the ephemeral quality of snowflakes and its inherent beauty. “Having an image of fragility, it can become any colour with light,” she says in a statement. For Matsumura, snow also symbolises “a myriad rays of hope, the natural glitter of festivity and playfulness”. Delicate clusters of tiny, milky white wires make up the Snow Twist lashes in her Celestial Horizon series, enhanced with frosted pink teardrop crystals on the lower lash that add a dash of glamour. The quirky Lucent Rainbow lashes are created with multiple loops of translucent, kaleidoscopic wires aligned to create a rainbow effect. “Eyelashes are the best accessory for creating fresh expressions,” Shu Uemura himself once said. With the 2009 Lashes in Nature collection and the accompanying eye shadow colours, you are all set to make fashion statements with your eyes. The Lashes in Nature collection is priced from RM50 to RM250 and is available now at all Shu Uemura outlets. This article appeared on the Live it! page, The Edge Financial Daily, June 26, 2009.
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