It’s not just the covetable coats and beautiful boots that are under scrutiny on the autumn/winter catwalks – the models’ manicures are as sought after as the clothes. So bagging a bottle of nail polish is an easy – and affordable – way to tap into the styles of the moment. From designer shades to arty acrylics, these are the talon trends to try now…
CATWALK COLOURS
Great news – your favourite scarlet varnish is very much in vogue this season, as red ruled the runways at the AW14 fashion weeks. But why not expand your colour palette and take inspiration from some of the stand-out shows?
Dolce & Gabbana’s luxe fairy-tale fantasy collection was a major hit with the fashion pack. Give your hands a hint of that gilt-edged glamour with a brushed gold polish.
Ever on-trend, Burberry has handily launched a set of six nail colours to coincide with its autumn/winter collection, which saw trench coats and floaty dresses daubed with abstract floral motifs. Our favourite? Oxblood – a deep, moody maroon.
- Nina Ultra Pro Nail Polish in Baroque The Bank, £3.29 (www.beautyexpress.co.uk)
- Burberry Nail Polish in Oxblood, £15 (www.burberry.com)
ART ATTACK
The teams of technicians backstage at London Fashion Week create some incredibly intricate manicures, and while not all are DIY-friendly, there are some nail art looks you can try at home.
Manicurist Ami Streets explains how she got the models at Felder Felder catwalk-ready: “We opted for a chic, glossy nude, Sweet Blush, for groomed sophistication, then added a dusky heather half moon of Blend from Orly’s AW14 nail collection.”
Ombre manicures (using a gradient effect) are best left to the professionals, but you can cheat your way to a smoky nail effect with press-on acrylics, and no one will be any the wiser.
- Orly Nail Polish in Blend, £10.50 (www.graftonsbeauty.co.uk)
- Elegant Touch Ombre False Nails in Smudge, £7.10, Boots (www.boots.com)
SHINE ON
With fun, furry textures and lashings of glitter, an upbeat mood pulsed through the AW14 collections.
The most fabulous footwear of the season was seen at Saint Laurent, where models stomped down the runway in glittery go-go boots. Give your fingertips the same treatment, with a reflective silver glitter polish. Apply two or three coats for maximum impact.
If full-on glitterball nails are a bit much, try a copper or antique gold sparkle varnish, and layer over a darker base colour to tone down the razzle-dazzle.
- All That Jazz Professional Nail Lacquer in Standing O, £9.98 (www.allthatjazzuk.com)
- Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Shimmer Nail Polish in Fireside, £11 (available late October; www.bobbibrown.co.uk)
TOUCHABLE TEXTURES
Gone are the days when shiny, glossy nails were de rigueur – innovative new textures are hitting the shops thick and fast, the perfect compliment for autumn’s feel-good fashion.
Matte varnish is nothing new, but now Yves Saint Laurent has gone one step further with leather nails. La Laque Couture Les Graines in Blue Galuchat looks like glitter polish when you paint it on, but it dries to a grainy deep turquoise that really looks (and feels) like leather.
Also mixing up the matte look, Nails Inc has collaborated with Alexa Chung to create a fabric-inspired range. A soft, dusty pink, the Cashmere polish lets you swathe your nails in a subtle pearlescent sheen.
- Yves Saint Laurent La Laque Couture in 52 Blue Galuchat, £18.50, Debenhams (www.debenhams.com)
- Nails Inc Alexa Cashmere Polish, £15 (www.nailsinc.com)