Fall 2011 Couture Beauty: Azzedine Alaïa, Elie Saab, & Jean Paul Gaultier

Beautylish highlights more Fall 2011 Haute Couture beauty from the Azzedine Alaïa, Elie Saab, and Jean Paul Gaultier fashion shows last week in Paris.

Elie Saab

Elie Saab's pastel fall couture show brought a refreshing twist from the typically dark cold-weather palette. Gowns embellished in crystals, beads, embroidery glided down the runway, flowing in frosty winter tones of icy gray-blue, ivory, mauve, brown, and navy. The makeup was ethereal and radiant, and focused on the reflective nature of the skin. Artists kept the complexion dewy and luminous with a pale cream highlighter. A generous coating of mascara and liquid liner gave eyes a bright and defined finish, while pink pastel lips faded in the background.

Stylists kept the hair feminine and effortless with a deeply-parted, wavy chignon.

Azzedine Alaïa

After an eight year runway hiatus, Alaïa's Fall 2011 couture collection brought a standing ovation from guests, including Donatella Versace! He played with structure in his designs, and the face complemented his technically complex designs by playing with shape and form. Artists extended the beginning of the brow and blended it with the inner lid, creating an inverted bell shape that mimicked the lines throughout the collection. The rest of the face was kept strong, contoured, and monochromatic.

To play off the exaggerated lines of the makeup and clothing, hair was slicked back in to a loosely brushed bun at the nape of the head, allowing wispy strands to naturally fall out from the ears.

Jean Paul Gaultier

To complement the unorthodox and dramatic aesthetic of Gaultier's couture show, the beauty paid homage to the exaggerated. The makeup—reminiscent of exotic birds—included double-lined eyes and bright lips which evoked the graphic lines of the collection. The upper half of the face was subtly lightened to bring focus to the eyes and brows.

The coolest part of this look, however, was the bold hair design. A severe center part made way to a feathered hairpiece customized for each model. Call it retro jungle couture—we love it!