Red lipstick is a classic, but the true beauty of the bold shade lies in how it’s reinvented and imbued with meaning, decade after decade. Just look to this year’s State of the Union address, where congresswomen stood united in all-white clothing and red lipstick — a nod to suffragettes who wore the shade as a symbol of women’s emancipation in the past. And just days after the red lip sent a clear message in the Capitol building, it’s re-emerging on the runways of New York Fashion Week.
From Oscar de la Renta to Alice + Olivia, red lipstick has been the perfect touch to some of this season’s best looks. But these aren’t just your basic crimsons — each shade is unique in its own way, complementing the show’s theme and clothing.
So, if you’re looking for different ways to wear red lipstick or just need one more reason to rock it, we’ve rounded up all the red lips we witnessed at this season’s shows. And before you even ask — No, you can never have too many red lipsticks.
Kate Spade
In a nod to the ’70s, lead makeup artist Romy Soleimani gave the models a pop of color on the lips, dabbing on a spice-like red and finishing with lip balm on top for some sheen.
Alice + Olivia
There were lots of avant-garde accessories, bright colors, and bold tones at the Alice + Olivia show, so makeup artist Erin Parsons felt that she needed a lip color that stood out against all of that. She landed on a glossy, dark red that involved five different lip products — each one essential to creating an ombré effect.
Jonathan Cohen
With the clothing a play on colors and patchwork, a red lip was the perfect finishing touch for the bold fashions created by Mexican designer Jonathan Cohen.
Cushnie
Proving just how diverse the color red can be, the models at Cushnie wore a warm take on the shade, and the color was also brushed on the cheeks and lids. The toasty red purposely contrasted with the darker colors (black, berry, and blue) of the collection.
Jonathan Simkhai
To complement all the flowing fabric and rich embroidery at Jonathan Simkhai, lead makeup artist Grace Lee went for a blurred look by smudging out the edges of this crimson color and finishing with some loose powder. "What you’re going to get is a way more velvet-y and dimensional texture," Lee said backstage.
Rebecca Minkoff
Speaking of a blurred lip, Lee gave the trend a different take at Rebecca Minkoff. There, she used a small, fluffy brush and pink blush powder, which was dusted over a ruby red lip color to give a "just-kissed" effect.
Oscar de la Renta
With a collection inspired by global travel, makeup artist Tom Pecheux wanted the lipstick to look like it had been traveled in — a faded, soft-focus look. This was achieved by dabbing the color slowly on the lips and blending out the edges with the finger. Pecheux also proclaimed: "What better tool than red lipstick for a woman to show power?"
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Source: Refinery29 – Thatiana Diaz