7 beauty highlights from the haute couture spring/summer 2024 runways, and beyond: from Dior drops and Chanel muse Margaret Qualley’s ballet look, to Pat McGrath’s viral ‘glass skin’ for Maison Margiela

Mar 5 , 2024

Baby Dior new scented water and skincare line for kids. Photos: Handout

How did Pat McGrath give models that doll-like reflective look on Maison Margiela’s Artisanal red carpet? Meanwhile at Schiaparelli, ‘the mother of make-up’ made ear make-up a thing with hundreds of crystals

Baby Dior is pioneering skincare for kids, while the parent brand showed a heavily lined look on its runway at Paris’ Musée Rodin, and Noble Panacea launched a hi-tech new overnight peel

As all know, fashion isn’t just what you wear – or even how you wear it. Nowhere was this more evident than on recent high-profile runways.

With the haute couture spring/summer 2024 shows now behind us, here’s our round-up of the most eye-catching – and even ear-catching – beauty and skincare products to watch out for.

1. Pat McGrath’s reflective make-up

Maison Margiela Artisanal collection 2024. Photo: Handout

Pat McGrath – referred to by many as “the mother of make-up”, and for good reason – has made social media audiences go wild, wild and wild again. This time, the furore is down to the coveted “glass skin” effect she gave the models in Maison Margiela’s 2024 Artisanal collection. Eager fans – us included – were made to wait until McGrath revealed what she and her team used to achieve the almost reflective, doll-like finish.

So, how did she do it? The beauty guru said she applied various products, including several kinds of face mask, distilled water and a special effects glue. In short, we can still only guess ….

2. Baby Dior fragrance and skincare line

Who doesn’t love to spoil their little ones? Baby Dior, the childrenswear range from the French couture house, has come up with its first fragrance for kids: Bonne Étoile, a scented water as part of a complete skincare line. Developed by Dior’s perfume creation director Francis Kurkdjian, the range is made without alcohol and with 98 per cent natural ingredients to cater to children’s delicate skin. It also features three bath products: La Mousse Très Fondante, Le Lait Très Tendre and L’Eau Très Fraîche.

3. Margaret Qualley’s ballet look

Chanel spring summer 2024 haute couture show. Photo: Handout

All eyes were on Margaret Qualley at Chanel’s ballet-themed spring/summer 2024 show in January. The actress and house ambassador graced the runway in a frothy white confection featuring tights, a midi skirt and a jacket with a ruffled collar.