Alice McCALL Resort 2022: ’80s Disco-Ready Beauty At Australian Fashion Week

With each and every era from decades past, there are a handful of public figures who inspired its most well-known characteristics. And now, years and year later, it’s important to pay homage to those who paved the way for us, particularly in the beauty sphere.

Thanks to Alice McCALL’s Resort ’22 Discoteca show at Sydney Fashion Week, the energy and legacy of ’80s icons, à la Grace Jones and David Bowie, made a well-deserved comeback.
The runway itself paid tribute to disco era and was adorned with psychedelic patterns in retro colourways to give the audience a hint of what was headed their way.

As for the collection itself, crochet knits, leather tailoring and mini dresses in ’70s-esque prints were the order of the day. However, it was the show’s big hair and bold beauty moments that also had tongues wagging.

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Inspired by the 1970s and ’80s—as well as public figures like David Bowie, Grace Jones and the band ‘Kiss!’—MAC Cosmetics’ makeup director Carol Mackie’s employed bright washes of colour and striking metallics, meaning that no two looks were the same. However, there were four main themes that Mackie remained within.

“It’s an electric feeling of the ’70s and ’80s colour clash with a nod to the band ‘Kiss!’,” said Carol Mackie, makeup director for MAC Cosmetics. “Think Jerry Hall, Sade, New Romantic and you’re there!”

Using MAC’s Art Library palette in ‘It’s Designer’, the first hero look saw a dramatic, statement eye switching between lavenders, corals and peppermint greens. Paying homage to the signature looks made famous by the likes of Jones and Bowie, some were finished with ‘baby doll’ lashes, a heavy liner and bold lips.

Skin was kept beautifully polished with a natural, matte finish by using MAC Cosmetics’ Studio Radiance Face + Body Sheer Foundation and Fix+ Magic Radiance.

Defined lips also beautifully complimented the look’s retro feel, thanks to MAC’s lip pencils in Nightmoth, Whirl, Vino, Cherry and Subculture and finished with metallic pigments and Lipglass gloss in the centre of the lip.

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The second hero look saw a heavy link to ‘Kiss!’ through Mackie’s use of painted silver stars sprinkled over the model’s cheeks and décolletage, paired with a cloud-like feature added in asymmetrical fashion to only one eyebrow and paired with a terracotta lip.

As for the last two hero looks, they were sported by the various male models who walked for the brand. For their looks, Mackie offered two options: a more subtle nod to the era, using a wash of frosted pastel shadows and a natural lip, focusing the most attention on a hydrated and glowy complexion; or similar skin but instead, paired with a tight-lined, grunge eye.

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And when it came down to the digits, scarlet red was the colour of choice, bidding farewell to the neutral tones seen almost everywhere.

But of course, the retro inspiration was far from over when it came to their tresses. Thanks to hair stylist Kieran Street for Wella Pro, the reborn ‘Fawcett Flip’ made its long awaited debut on the runway with other big hair styles from the era à la ’70s blowouts, curtain fringes and sweeping styles reigning supreme.
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As we know, disco-ready hair has been tried-and-tested for years, but Street’s take on the trend definitely caters for hair lengths of all types, no natural curl necessary.

The biggest takeaway from Alice McCALL’s ode to the Discoteca? The ’70s are back and better than ever, so it’s best to hop on board.

SHOP THE PRODUCTS USED AT ALICE MCCALL’S RESORT ’22 SHOW
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MAC Cosmetics’ Art Library palette in ‘It’s Designer’, $89 at MAC Cosmetics.
Studio Radiance Face + Body Sheer Foundation, $55 at MAC Cosmetics.
Fix+ Magic Radiance, $44 at MAC Cosmetics.
Lip pencil in ‘Nightmoth’, $30 at MAC Cosmetics.