Beauty

The godmother’s wand: a backstage look at Ida Sjöstedt’s SS22 show

By Esteban G Villanueva

Go backstage with us and witness the real-life fairytale transformation that made models into fairies

While known for depicting the princess ready for the ball, for this new collection, Ida Sjöstedt veered just a tad of her traditional main character, and for once gave the fairies behind the magic their time to shine. No princess or queen is ever ready without her fairy-godmother and for this occasion Ida enlisted some of the best characters in the game to work their magic on the models for the runway.

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Beauty wise, the models were sent down the runway with what can only be described as a soft romantic look. “Since the collection is all about enhancing our different sides and quirks, I wanted to create a style that was both fun and bold, that could make you feel confident but still playful. Something empowering but enjoyable,” said head of makeup Jasmin Lundmark, when referring to the looks. Technically speaking, the aesthetic consisted of a soft eye where the crease was enhanced with a blended eyeshadow and individual lashes were added to attain a playful, doll-like, almost 1960s style. “I adapted each application to the model’s face, making sure to keep true to their own individuality but referring to a kind of playful disco vibe.”

The hair didn’t stray from the romantic aesthetic the makeup attained. With the mentality of being honest to each model’s style and — in this case — hair texture, Kirstina Wolff, head of hair, carefully crafted styles that enhanced each individual’s traits and that played along their own hair’s build. “Ida and I spoke about bringing out the beauty in each individual model by enhancing their own natural look and persona. We wanted a side part and to play along with movement, curls and waves. It’s a very soft look that plays along the quirkiness of the brand,” Wolff mentioned. That being said, each hairstyle was no easy feat, yet it was carefully constructed by combining some of Kevin Murphy’s — designated haircare products for the show — hero products to create volume, hold and to keep the wave in place. On top of that, each hairstyle was sealed into story-time perfection by adding mini bouquets that constructed the magical aesthetic each model presented.

No transformation is complete if the nails are not ready for the ball, and for this particular design Ida enlisted the queen of nails herself, Frida Selkirk. Known for her masterful colour applications and precise designs, Frida created the perfect look that complemented the magical story Ida was telling to her audience. “All the girls have short nails and since we wanted to go for a funky look we made our own twist on a classical French nail by having a diagonal approach with pastel colours and, of course, adorning with flowers and rhinestones, something very Ida,” explained Selkirk.

frida selkirk nails manicure model salon beauty

Overall the collection, that really fulfilled the inner-princess fantasy everyone has, was a complete immersive experience when it came to the makeup, hair and nails. “Over the years my collections have evolved and matured, but for this one I wanted to bring back the old Ida combined with the new Ida. I like to be really involved with the whole process of the presentation, not just the clothes, so for me the beauty was an extension of what I wanted to create. I wanted it to reflect the playfulness and the attention to detail.”

And just before logging off, there is one final thing to comment about Ida’s presentation in her own secret garden, the diversity and inclusion depicted in the casting of models —something Ida holds close to her heart. “I wanted to have different characters that would represent the differents sides of a woman.” The message was clear, in the end we can all be princesses if we want to.