Photo: An Artistry makeup artist hard at work backstage.
Behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week (NYFW), Amway’s Artistry makeup artists teamed with Pamella Roland to create makeup looks for the label’s runway show.
Designer Pamella DeVos, the woman behind the evening-wear line, staged her new collection on Feb. 10. In addition to dramatic gowns, cashmere coats and fur accents, the models sported beauty products by Artistry, Amway’s premium skincare and cosmetics line. DeVos also has a personal connection to the direct selling firm; her husband, Dan, is the son of Amway co-founder Rich DeVos.
Artistry is not only a hot seller for Amway, but also a top-five premium skincare brand worldwide. In the past, Amway has promoted the brand through peripheral events surrounding New York Fashion Week, an eight-day affair that draws industry insiders from around the world, but a couple of years ago, Artistry expanded its presence as Official Makeup Sponsor for Pamella Roland. “NYFW continues to be an incredible venue for Artistry,” Lisa Hunter, Amway North America Director of Product Marketing, said in an email. “Presenting Artistry’s premium skincare and makeup products alongside Pamella’s beautiful collections—which are works of art—represents an ideal partnership.”
Last September at New York Fashion Week, when designers showcased their spring collections, Amway took the partnership a step further. The company’s global makeup artist, Rick DiCecca, created the makeup look for the show, and Amway Business Owners (ABOs) worked with DiCecca backstage to bring the look to life on the models.
The makeup artists, all of whom use and sell Artistry products, are chosen through an invite-only audition process. Last month, about 25 ABOs traveled to Long Island to audition for the February show. DiCecca walked them through multiple looks, asking the makeup artists to recreate each one. “There were challenges that would come up, and he watched how they handled them to ensure they had the skill needed to work in a backstage, high-pressure area,” said Rebecca Goh, Assistant Brand Manager for Artistry.
On the day of the show, Artistry took its social media followers backstage with a Facebook Live broadcast from New York City’s Chelsea Piers. “Working with other creative people is always exciting for me,” DiCecca told viewers. “Even more so is the fact that the ABOs I’m working with today actually sell the Artistry product. That’s unheard of in this industry. They’re backstage doing the fashion show, using the products, and they’re experts in their own business. That to me is very rewarding, because I’ve been training some of these artists for several years.”
DiCecca created the runway look alongside DeVos, whose latest collection was inspired by the paintings of Mark Rothko. His modern art canvases feature bold, rich colors with subtle movement and texture. DiCecca echoed Rothko’s ombre shading effect in the eye makeup, which starts out dark at the base of the lashes and lightens as it moves toward the brow. But, he says, “My homage to Rothko is really the lips—they’re bold, bright and beautiful.” The makeup artists achieved this effect by layering three to four products, including one of the brand’s top sellers, Artistry Light Up Lip Gloss, which comes with a built-in mirror and LED light for easy application.
The foundation of the look, and the foundation of the Artistry line, is skin care. “When it comes to Artistry, we’re about the skin care, and then the cosmetics,” said Goh. “Cosmetics is one thing, but if you don’t have a good palette—nice, smooth skin—to start with, it doesn’t matter what kind of makeup you put on.” Backstage at Pamella Roland, before makeup artists went to work creating the look, they applied a skincare regimen tailored to each model. Artistry’s luxury skincare line, Supreme LX, is formulated to help reduce signs of aging and reenergize the skin.
As the Facebook Live broadcast concluded, DiCecca shared some advice for aspiring makeup artists, particularly those building a direct selling business. “Listen to the people you’re working on,” he said. “Really listen to what they’re saying, because that’s the only way you’ll figure out what they really need. If you solve some of the simple makeup problems women have—choosing the right foundation or skin care—you become her hero.”
