Hey everyone, It’s this time of year again when we wonder what nail looks have leading fashion designers prepared for us for the season of Spring/Summer 2014. After two successful seasons at New York Fashion Week, Essie returns to the tents after having earned its spot as a backstage nail line. For the Spring/Summer 2013 shows, Essie will partner with the nail industry’s leading talent to develop trendsetting looks while using the brand’s iconic and extensive color collection.
Essie created a bohemian safari look with earthy tones and gorgeous whites giving this collection a sexy jungle appeal at the Veronica Beard SS14 show. Products Used: Essie First Base Base Coat was used first, followed by Essie Penny Talk and Essie Recessionista, sealed with a coat of Essie Good to Go fast drying top coat.
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At Costello Tagliapietra SS14 show the designers took inspiration from the tropics, incorporating bold pops of color throughout the collection. Products Used: A layer of Essie Midnight Cami was swept across the nail, followed by one coat of Essie Mademoiselle and topped off with a layer of Essie Matte About You.
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Rebecca Minkoff’s bright Mexican textures inspired by Frida Kahlo, were offset with the designer’s floral patterns. Products Used: To get the Mexican-inspired look, apply two coats of Essie Tart Deco. With a thin dotting tool, draw on “Day of the Dead” designs in Essie Butler Please, Essie Licorice and Essie Blanc. Finish with a coat of Essie Good To Go. For the pedicure, start with a layer of Essie Ridge Filling Base Coat, followed by two coats of Essie Tart Deco, topped off with a coat of Essie Good To Go.
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Sheer pinks and black tailored pieces walked up and down the runway at Helmut Lang. Of course, there’s no better choice for spring than a soft pink. To create the look, Michael and Nicole Colovos chose Essie Sugar Daddy, a polish that adds a feminine blush to nails after a base coat has been applied. It was topped off with Essie Good to Go to give the manicure a finished shine that matched the formality of the collars and coats.
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Surprisingly, we’re seeing many dark nails, especially navy blue, on the Spring and Summer 2014 runway this week. At Jill Stuart, summery sheer dresses and peek-a-boo cutouts were balanced out by near-black nails polished with Essie After School Boy Blazer, one of this fall’s hues. Do you think these dark lacquers will linger until the spring?
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At Prism by Anna Laub models sported cool geometric nail art with two coats of Essie Ridge Filling Base Coat followed by one coat of Essie For the Twill of It (a purple and olive duochrome polish) in the shape of a triangle. Essie’s lead nail artist for this show and a fellow Canadian, Rita Remark calls it “showing some skin on the nail,” which is definitely fitting for a swimwear collection. —
Cool urban shorts and long coats strutted down the Alexander Wang runway this week, but what sort of nails would complement the look without either weighing it down or distracting from it? The answer turned out to be to paint models’ nails first with a two layers of Essie Sand Tropez and then to top it off with Essie Matte About You. The finished result was a sandy-colored neutral that was noticeable but blended right in with the show’s designs.
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Bright colors and Hawaiian prints brought the heat to Cynthia Rowley’s Spring collection, giving embroidered jumpsuits and dresses a jolt of fun. Dark, metallic, blinged out nails with mixed finishes by essie completed this look for an edgy, sophisticated nail look. Manicure: For this blinged out look, start with one layer of Essie Ridge Filling Basecoat, followed by two coats on each nail either of Essie For the Twill of It, Essie Midnight Cami, or Essie Licorice. Top off with a coat of either Essie Stroke of Brilliance or Essie Set in Stones. Pedicure: Layer two coats of either Essie For the Twill of It, Essie Midnight Cami, or Essie Licorice on each nail and one coat of Essie Matte About You.
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Fashion Week may be looking ahead to next Spring, but these dark Altuzarra pant suits paired with soft pink nails are perfect for fall, if the white slacks are skipped. Give a feminine hint to clients’ nails by first applying a coat of Essie Vanity Fairest, then a layer of Essie Good to Go top coat. Accentuate the tips by finishing the rim with a stroke of the creamy white Essie Allure, and you’ve got a natural looking French.

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Pinky-white nails looked soft against bright pastels on the DKNY runway. Dull tips instantly looked brighter and healthier with a sweep of cream-colored Essie Limo-scene, followed with a coat of the pink Essie Mademoiselle.
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A sleeked up version of normal nails was also the style at Diane von Furstenberg, where models wore Essie Allure underneath Essie Good to Go top coat to go along with animal print and dark beading.
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Theysken’s Spring runway collection strikes a cool, contemporary balance between tailored elegance and form-fitting silhouettes. Long and lean, the monochromatic looks were luxurious with unexpected pops of pastel, nicely complemented by clean, chic nails. Manicure: Apply two coats of Essie Allure to nails, followed by one coat of Essie Good to Go top Coat for a clean and chic look. Pedicure: This simple look consists of one coat of Essie Mademoiselle, followed by one coat of Good to Go.
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Jenny Packham‘s collection was filled with the romantic pinks, intricate beading, and sheer fabrics fit for a princess! The glitter-topped nails were equally so. The base coat consisted of a layer of Essie Eternal Optimist, followed by a coat of the creamy Essie Allure. The glitter topper contained both a layer of the fuchsia Essie A Cut Above and silver Essie Set in Stones that were applied only near the cuticle.
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Mixed color mani pedis appeared at Naeem Khan! While the runway was filled with flowery reds and whites, fingernails and toes were respectively painted crimson and pink. Two coats of Essie A-List were brushed onto fingertips, while two layers of bubblegum-colored Essie Sugar Daddy were added to toes. For lasting shine, Essie Good to Go Top Coat was used over the color. Magnifique!
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At Wes Gordon, long prairie-like skirts, florals, and lace filled the runway. For nail fashion that was equally sweet and alluring, the designer opted for a mixed color French. On fingernails, stylists began with a base coat, applied Essie Lilacism, and then swept each edge with Essie Sand Tropez before finishing with top coat. For pedicures, the look actually reversed: Essie Sand Tropez was painted on as the base color, with Essie Lilacism along the free edge.
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The Nellie Partow runway highlighted creams, metallics, and urban cuts, so a fresh-looking manicure was ideal. To achieve this, stylists applied the creamy Essie Limo-scene underneath top coat for nearly white nails that paired well with the neutral palette.

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Bright white nails glowed at Nanette Lepore. For spring, the designer showcased flowing lacy gowns paired with vibrant red lips. For the perfect clean mani pedi, the show’s lead manicurist applied Essie Ridge Filling Base Coat, the stark white Essie Blanc, and then Essie Good to Go Top Coat.
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Hope you enjoyed the fashion designer’s takes on Spring / Summer 2014 nail looks. Which one was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
Thank you and take care,
Liliana