Nail Trends from the Spring 2012 Fashion Week Runways

China Glaze Nude was used for manicures at the Tadashi Shoji (shown) and Porter Grey shows. At Tadashi Shoji, China Glaze Innocence was used on toes. The neutral shades accentuated the ethereal gowns for which Tadashi Shoji is known. The nail tech team was led by Josephine More, who was assisted by Danielle Candido, Lauren Baranowski, and Natalie Figorotta-Frank.

Photography by Matthew Carasella

Celebrity manicurist Patricia Yankee was backstage at the Focus Taiwan presentation, where six of Taiwan’s brightest fashion designers showcased their collections. Yankee used China Glaze Crackle Glaze in Black Mesh over a glossy jet black shade to create a multi-dimensional effect for the models’ pedicures.

Inspired by ’60s glamour, the nails at The Blonds, created by CND’s Kristina Estabrooks, took over 100 hours to hand detail and included a “stockings series” of fishnets, lacy tights, and sexy seam manicures. Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Diego Binetti show, CND’s Candice Manacchio used Raspberry Parfait and Frosting Cream capped in gold and silver metal for an artisanal finish. The toes were polished in CND Raspberry Parfait. Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

For the Alexandre Herchcovitch  show, nail tech Wanda Ruiz and the CND team applied dazzling white glitter on clear tips. Air Dry Top Coat was applied to the entire nail, then topped with fine sparkle. Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Kevork Kiledjian show, nail tech Candice Manacchio and the CND team used Desert Suede topped with Jade Sparkle Effect and finished with Washed Down White for a modern spin on nude, with added texture for a hi-tech finish. Toes were natural in CND Colour in Buff.

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Jen Kao show, Wanda Ruiz used CND Midnight Sapphire, Anchor Blue, Rouge Red, and Green Scene, each combined with Inkwell and slicked with Air Dry Top Coat for a poisonously bright, ombré finish.

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the NAHM show, nail tech Wanda Ruiz used CND Dark Ruby finished with Copper Pearl. 

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Altuzarra show, nail tech Candice Manacchio and the CND team used Putty topped with Super Matte Top Coat to juxtapose dramatic, black eyebrows and stick-straight hair.

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Joy Cioci show, CND’s Candice Manacchio used clear tips with hand-detailed lattice work that showed energy and attitude when paired with a fiery orange lip and frantic, whimsical curls.

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Karen Walker show, nail tech Wanda Ruiz custom blended CND Bicycle Yellow with seven drops of Blackjack for a summery, youthful shade.

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Joanna Mastroianni show, nail tech Candice Manacchio used CND Desert Suede, Brilliant White, Ivory Coast, and Gold Shimmer Effect on the edges for an illuminated finish with texture. Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Wes Gordon show, Kristina Estabrooks used CND Poppyfield to complement wispy ponytails and fresh faces. Toes were clean and neutral with Desert Suede. Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Nicole Miller show, nail tech Wanda Ruiz used CND Raspberry Parfait and a custom mix blue — CND Anchor Blue, Dark Ruby, and Eclectic Purple — with added blue pigment. The look was finished with Ice Blue Shimmer. 

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Naeem Khan show, Wanda Ruiz used two coats of saturated, concrete gray CND Asphalt finished with Super Shiney Top Coat for a lustrous look.

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Norman Ambrose show, CND’s Candice Manacchio created six luxe manicure looks to go with high glam ’60s pieces straight out of vintage Vogue —  for the sexy, exotic woman who swims in her diamonds.

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the 3.1 Phillip Lim show, nail tech Angi Wingle and the CND team mimicked flesh tones underneath the nail plate, via a custom-blended nail glaze of drops from Raspberry Parfait and Guava mixed with Speedey Top Coat.

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Wayne show, CND’s Wanda Ruiz used Brilliant White with feathered strokes of Blackjack on the tip of each nail to accessorize teased bird nest hair.

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Kate Ermilio show, nail tech Candice Manacchio and the CND team created a French pink of Creamy Cameo layered with Ice Blue Shimmer Effect with subtle double moons. The moons were created with Brilliant White and Washed Down White.

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Milly show, nail tech Candice Manacchio created neon bright nails with a blend of CND Colours in Brilliant White, Bicycle Yellow, and Electric Orange to accessorize fuchsia pink lips.

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Monique Lhuillier show, nail tech Wanda Ruiz and the CND team used Cream Washed topped with Super Shiney Top Coat for a glossy finish. The toes were reminiscent of a cloudy night sky with custom-blended blue.

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At the Dean Quinn show, Wanda Ruiz used CND Copper Shimmer Effect topped with Putty and rimmed along the eponychium in Desert Suede to accessorize a ’70s-inspired collection of tangerine and mint pieces.

Photo courtesy of Creative Nail Design (CND)

At Katie Gallagher’s show, models wore Color Club’s Red-ical Gypsy (shown) on the tops of the nail and the black Where’s the Soiree on the undersides.

At Cuchnie et Ochs, Dashing Diva’s Pattie Yankee worked with designers Carly and Michelle to create a “flesh extension” look.  She used a base of Dashing Diva’s Mr. Right polish mixed with mineral makeup to match each model’s skin tone perfectly.

Designer Farah Angsana chose three different color schemes to match the brights and pastels in her collection.  Pattie Yankee used Dashing Diva’s The Met (shown, a warm white), The Big Apple (a bright red), and I Lilac Nothin’ (pastel purple) with a top coat of I Need a Cocktail to add shine.

Pattie Yankee worked with designer Mark Fast to create three custom polish colors that matched his line perfectly.  Using tones of Dashing Diva’s Pier 39, I Lilac Nothin’, Too Much Melon Drama, and NYC Fleet Week polishes, Yankee was able to create bright aqua, bold orange (shown), and subtle purple shades.

Dashing Diva debuted its new DesignFX nail designs at the Jad Ghandour safari-themed show. The designer fell in love with the fierce Cheetah/Tiger print, Feline Menagerie. The models sported DesignFX and Flatiron District polish while the men wore DesignFX on their pinky fingers.

Focus Taiwan featured the designs of six popular designers from Taiwan, all showcasing their lines in the U.S. for the first time. Pattie Yankee and the Dashing Diva team used The Met polish, a warm white shade, on a short, oval nail extension.  The look was completed with Make It Matte polish. For toes, the team used Dashing Diva’s Limo Service polish topped with black crackle polish.

Pattie Yankee collaborated with designer Jeremy Scott to create a look that would coincide with the “Innocent Farm Girl”-themed show. Yankee created the desired look using one layer of Dashing Diva’s Top Seal, then applied a mixture of Glitters Milky Way and Aurora Lights, topped with one more coat of Top Seal. For feet, Yankee used A Silver Lining polish mixed with Dashing Diva Glitters in Milky Way and Aurora Lights.

St. John wanted a clean and natural look for its presentation. Pattie Yankee chose Dashing Diva’s Season Tickets polish to accomplish the desired look. 

Designer Daisy Fuentes worked with Pattie Yankee and the Dashing Diva nail team to create a natural nail look that would complement the simplicity of her line. Yankee used Dashing Diva’s Fashion Week polish to create the look on both hands and feet.

Supima featured the designs of students from FIT, Pratt, RISD, and Savannah College of Art and Design who were judged by a group of celebrity panelists. Dashing Diva’s Pattie Yankee worked with the designers to create a classic, simple look using Chelsea in the Buff polish as the first coat topped off with a mattifying polish.

For Tibi, Pattie Yankee and the Dashing Diva team used Boarding School, Bridge & Tunnel, and Flat Iron District polishes to coincide with the natural trend this season. These rich, earthy tones matched the collection perfectly.

Six students from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco debuted their collections at the AAU show. In order to create a consistent, complementary look, Pattie Yankee and the Dashing Diva team kept a clean, short, polished buff nail.

Pattie Yankee worked with designer Mara Hoffman to create a clean look that would complement the intricate patterns and designs of the collection.  Yankee used Dashing Diva’s Chelsea in the Buff polish on a natural-shaped, short nail.  For one “stand out” model, Yankee used The Red Carpet polish — a fiery, bright red shade. 

Pattie Yankee and the Dashing Diva team created a trendy natural look for Elie Tahari’s runway show using Trust Fund polish, an opaque terracotta shade. 

The nail look at Pamela Love was inspired by the bohemian Moroccan theme of the collection,” said Essie manicurist Elle Gerstein. “We drew inspiration for the reverse chevron French manicure from the tribal graphic element of the clothing and the triangular jewelry paired with the collection.” Photography courtesy of Essie

DKNY opted for Essie’s Brooch the Subject. Essie Weingarten, founder and creative director of Essie Cosmetics, said, “Brooch the Subject was our go-to shade for fingers and toes, and I really love this look — it’s classic Essie. Nude, without being too sheer; sophisticated with an edge and totally universal.”

Photography courtesy of Essie

The soft whimsical pairing of Essie’s Demure Vixen and Au Natural complemented the delicate and airy creations that designer Zac Posen is known for.

Photography courtesy of Essie

The nail look at L.A.M.B. featured Essie’s Bobbing for Baubles. “I loved working for L.A.M.B. Its cutting-edge fashions were reflective in the color choice of Essie’s Bobbing for Baubles, a deep darkest sapphire,” said Paula Knight-Osborne, a nail tech who worked the show. Photography courtesy of Essie

At DKNY AMEX, Essie’s Brooch the Subject, a light opaque beige, was the perfect accessory for nails’ base color. Adding Golden Nuggets as a top layer created just enough shimmer to make it noticeable.

Photography courtesy of Essie

Essie’s Mademoiselle, the company’s No. 1 best seller, was used on the runway at the Tory Burch show.

Photography courtesy of Essie

Celebrity nail artist Honey polished models’ nails with LAQA & Co.’s polish pen in color WTF for the Rafael Cennamo show.

Designer Stacey Clark presented the Odilon line at the Metropolitan Pavilion, a day before Fashion Week’s official beginning and used custom Minx to complement the minimalist collection. Celebrity nail stylist Lisa Logan led the nail team and worked with Clark and stylist Keegan Singh to create the Minx. 

Photos by Ryan Koopmans

At London Fashion Week, The David Koma collection was complemented by custom Minx nail fashion specific to each of his 25 looks.

Photography by Becky Maynes

For Paris Fashion Week, Minx created unique designs using the reference given by the Alexander McQueen design team, reflecting the inspiration for the collection: mother of pearl, shells, water, and sea foam.

Photography by Becky Maynes

At London Fashion Week, Fred Butler’s vibrant and innovative accessories were enhanced by delightfully imaginative Minx nail fashion created by U.K. nail stylist Marian Newman. Newman and Kim Howells, Butler’s stylist, decided to use MinxLusion, but they also wanted to add something extra to complement the unusual, whimsical muses featured in the collection: little underwater sea creatures.

Photography by Becky Maynes

Australian designer Camilla Francs showcased her Labyrinth by Camilla collection during the Mercedes Benz Fashion Festival in Sydney Town Hall and utilized Minx nail fashion to complement her colorful, wild designs. “We decided to style seven models with Pink Chrome, seven models with Aqua Chrome, and seven with custom Minx layered over a metallic Gold base to represent the different elements of the show,” explained Zoe.

Photo courtesy of Labyrinth by Camilla

Gareth Pugh’s collection was revealed at Paris Fashion Week with Minx nail fashion providing the finishing touch.

Photography by Becky Maynes

In Milan, nail tech Marian Newman worked with Minx co-founder Janice Jordan to create “impressions” of the fabric Missoni would be using in the new collection. “I sat with Janice while we opened the references, and after discussing some ideas, eventually decided to create gentle fades of the exact colors with a slight distortion,” explained Newman.  “Janice then began designing this interpretation, using the three color collections of blue, yellow, and red, but decided to make them translucent to allow a MinxLusion base,” said Newman.

Photography by Becky Maynes

Charlie Le Mindu presented his Spring/Summer 2012 collection at Paris Fashion Week with show-stopping dresses and accessories made of over 30,000 Minx nail coatings hand-wrapped over Kiss nail tips.

Photography by Becky Maynes

For South Africa Fashion Week, designer Alexander Koutny presented his all-black 2012 with the collection gunmetal hue of Minx nails.

Photography by Ryno Mulder

At London Fashion Week, Francesca Marotta selected Silver Lightning Minx nail fashion to complement her line. Pebbles Aikens and her team at M2Mdamorejon suggested using Minx because of the strong impact that can be achieved on the runway.

Photography by Pebbles Aikens

At London Fashion Week, for The Fashion Shenzhen: Dang Hao collection, the models wore Golden Lightning Minx. Pebbles Aikens and fellow nail stylists Myrdith Leon McCormack, Nadia Blanco, and Lori Baker applied the solid nail coating to 15 models for the show.

Photography by Pebbles Aikens

Models at the Jason Wu show wore OPI Monsooner or Later on fingernails, a poppy red shade selected by MAC to match lips, and Samoan Sand on toenails.

Photo courtesy of OPI

BCBG models wore OPI Samoan Sand on both fingernails and toenails.

Photo courtesy of OPI

At the Hervé Léger show, models wore OPI Coney Island Cotton Candy on both fingernails and toenails.

Photo courtesy of OPI

Models at the Rebecca Taylor show wore OPI Stranger Tides on fingernails and Tickle My France-y on toenails.

For the Proenza Schouler show, Perfect Formula created a special custom yellow nail shade, which will be available for purchase in February

At the Bebe show, manicurist Daphne Allende for Priti NYC polished models’ nails in Hardy Water Lily # 673, a gold metallic shimmer. Photography by London Wright for Stylez4Women

At the Tommy Hilfiger show, Daphne Allende for Priti NYC used sheer pink Coronation on fingernails and desert tan Spring Song for toenails. Photographer London Wright for Stylez4Women 

For the Lindsay Degen show, manicurist Cinnamon Bowser for Priti NYC polished models’ nails in White Ballet Dahlia, Nigra, and Alister Gray Rose.

Daphne Allende for Priti NYC polished the models at the Carlos Miele show in Snapdragon # 457, a dark sunset orange. Photography by London Wright for Stylez4Women

For the Honor show, Daphne Allende for Priti NYC used warm pearly peach Chilean Bamboo #527 and desert tan Spring Song #526.

Photographer London Wright for Stylez4Women 

For the Gant by Michael Bastian show, manicurist TracyLee for Priti NYC polished models’ nails in Coronation, Baby Toes Cactus, and Fireglow.

At the Bibhu Mohapatra show, Sunshine Outing for Zoya polished models in Goldie, Hermina, Richelle (shown), Sunny, and Poppy.

For up-and-coming designer Anna Francesca’s show, Sunshine Outing for Zoya used polish in Raven (for the men) and Delilah (for the women).

At Marc by Marc Jacobs, Elissa Ferri sponsored by Zoya used polish Olivia topped by a custom Zoya Matte Topcoat to create a “velvet seashell” for the nail.

For Peter Som, Sunshine Outing for Zoya polished models’ nails in Erin.

At the Doo.Ri show, Jin Soon Choi sponsored by Zoya used Helen on the models’ nails.

At the B Michael America show, Amber Elizabeth Stores for Zoya used Zoya Minka (shown), Shay, and Pandora to coordinate with the models’ skin tones.

For Theyskens’ Theory, Jin Soon Choi custom layered Zoya Dharma over Zoya Miley.

For up-and-coming designer Leanne Marshall’s show, Sunshine Outing for Zoya  polished the nails with color Erin.

Elissa Ferri sponsored by Zoya created a custom polish shade for Marc Jacobs, then topped it with piets of silver metallic in Zoya Luna.

For RZ by Rachel Zoe, Sunshine Outing for Zoya polished models’ nails in Amanda.