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Monday 13th May saw the talented Make-up Artistry students from West College Scotland showcase their work for the first time at their end of year showcase event at 29 in Glasgow. The HNC Fashion Make-up Showcase wowed guests including friends, family and industry professionals with a fabulous catwalk of models each with a different make up look influenced by either a makeup brand, fashion label or celebrity icon.
Karen Stevenson, Head of Sector for Hairdressing, Beauty and Makeup Artistry said, “This is the first year of delivery of the new HNC Fashion Makeup. The course is designed to complete with a graded unit which requires the students to culminate everything they have learned and to present a fashion look which reflects their interpretation of top icons of the fashion and makeup industry.”
She continued, “Students design their looks which are showcased to an audience in a runway format. This year we chose the venue of 29 Royal Exchange Square, perfectly placed in the city centre of Glasgow. This is a fabulous opportunity for students to demonstrate their top quality skills and techniques. A truly outstanding level of work is currently being created, preparing our students for high level, quality jobs within their industry. We are all very proud of them and wish them well for the world of fashion makeup.”
Stephanie Hosie, 20 from Helensburgh enjoyed learning about the different eras of makeup. She said, “I found the showcase event very enjoyable, I thought it was great seeing all my classmates ideas walking down the runway. My inspiration was MAC. I chose to do the Art library collection for my live event as it was so colourful!”
Hoping to progress onto HND and move into special effects & prosthetics in the future, Reece Frew, 22 from Barrhead said, “I really enjoyed myself and I liked gaining the experience of being around all those different people and remaining confident in your work. It was great learning about different techniques on how to apply make up to look good in pictures and on a live runway instead of looking too heavy. My inspiration was Muglers Les Insectes range.”
Emily McNab, 21 from Glasgow said, “My experience was amazing I felt happy with my look which made the whole thing feel more relaxed and enjoyable.” She took inspiration from Benefits crazy advertising posters! She hopes to complete her HND and then hopefully work in tv and film.
Lauren Hogg, 22 from Glasgow enjoyed the showcase event and took inspiration for Givenchy. She hopes to continue onto HND and learn more about the industry.
Creating a modern day, gothic look with inspiration from makeup brand, Illamasqua, Jenna Meenan, 19 from Dumbarton said, “It was fun learning new skills and techniques that I can use in the industry and gaining experience. The showcase event was amazing because it gave me an insight into what being backstage at a fashion show is like, hopefully I’ll make it to London Fashion Week one day!”
Stephanie Hitchinson, 24 from Dumbarton really enjoyed learning current and classic make-up and learning different techniques for skin. She took her inspiration from Vivienne Westwood and her red label spring collection 2012. Stephanie said, “I am hoping to come back to West college Scotland and continue to study HND make up artistry and continue with my job as a make up artist in the salon I am currently in.”
Taking inspiration from Marc Jacobs collection, Megan Gourlay, 20 from Cambuslang enjoyed being able to be creative and found being able to work with briefs fun and exciting. She said of the event, “It was great to see the amazing talent from students, being able to see the hard work, and it gives me so much inspiration.” Speaking of Marc Jacob’s influence on her piece she said, “I love how everything is so delicate and pretty, with loads of nature and flowers. He makes everything look so naturally beautiful and I think he’s an amazing fashion designer and artist! And I feel that my photographer for my graded managed to capture my images so beautifully, I am very happy with how they turned out.”
Shannon Mcleod, 18 from Loch Lomond took inspiration from the Scottish heritage of Alexander McQueen. She said, “I loved gaining new skills that have helped me improve my techniques to a higher level in the fashion side of the industry. I’d love to make a name for myself working high up in the fashion or film industry.”
Taking inspiration from Barbie, Chanelle Bryceland, 25 from Greenock said, “Makeup and beauty is something I have always been interested in, and having left school I attended College and became a fully qualified beauty therapist. So making the choice to go for HNC Fashion Makeup Artistry was the best thing I done, I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of my course and have learned so much from this course. I feel extremely proud of how much I have achieved over the past year. My lecturers throughout my course have just been amazing to say at the least!” Speaking of the event she said, “This was such a great overall-all experience, it was a bit nerve-racking but the atmosphere was great and all the staff made you feel at ease supporting everyone and their models. The audience were also brilliant. I was happy to present my chosen look at this showcase event and felt extremely proud of what I achieved.”
Rebecca Samuel, 19 from Paisley loved the freedom and creativity of creating her chosen look. She said, “The showcase event was amazing, it was everything I could’ve hoped for. I feel my look, looked great on the catwalk. The atmosphere was amazing.” She took inspiration from Vivienne Westwood punk looks from the 1970s saying, “I wanted to convey a little bit of Anarchy for my piece!”
Ailie Edgar, 19 from Wemyss Bay enjoyed getting experience of a catwalk event, she spoke of her inspiration for the piece saying, “I loved Barbie when I was a young girl. I also admire how far the fashion icon has came and grown throughout the years and how diverse it had become. I plan to continue my career as a makeup artist out in the industry and would like to gain more experience within fashion shows.”
Taking inspiration from the runaway bride Miss Dior campaign, Nicole Young, 28 from Glasgow said, “My model was styled in a bridal gown similar to the Dior couture gown worn by Natalie Portman in the commercial. The makeup was light and delicate to bring out my models natural beauty. I used Bobbi Brown products to create this look.” She really enjoyed her experience of the event saying, “I think it was a great idea for students to show off their work to guests and people from the makeup industry.”
Aimee Wilson, 22 from Greenock said, “My inspiration is Fred Perry as this is often associated with the Mods in the 60s, I decided to elevate the 60s inspiration by looking at the era as whole from the mod scene to hippie culture and the British Invasion.” In the future she hopes to work in both Fashion and Theatre.
Having heard good things about previous WCS shows, Kayla Reddick, 20 from Dunoon took her inspiration for her piece from Fenty Beauty with an aim of promoting makeup for all beauty’s, races and people who wear makeup. She said, “This was close to my heart with myself being a darker skin toned model who had never found her undertone until her brand launched it has had a impact on all cosmetic companies.” She enjoys learning new tips and tricks to improve as a makeup artist.
Natalie Miller, 19 from Paisley said, “I love how creative this course was I had so much more freedom to do what I wanted and to create lots of different looks I also learned so much more about the industry. I also know a lot more about application techniques and different types of makeup which was very interesting. I think it’s exciting that we have a live runway to showcase our work as well as see the other work from different students, it’s also the first year they have done this so it’s exciting to see how it works.” She took her inspiration from Gianni Versace saying, “I have always loved fashion and after watching the assignation of Gianni Versace I fell in love with his designs and his outlook on fashion, which i really wanted to recreate and research him further.”
Robyn Mclaughlin, 22 from Greenock loved learning about runway and the industry. Speaking of her inspiration for the piece she said, “I have always loved Alexander McQueen and this piece is one of my favourites. I’d love to work in fashion industry and bring out my own line of makeup and becoming one of the biggest celebrity make-up artists ever!”
Mirrin Kelso, 21 from Paisley loved working with the lecturers on her course and thought the showcase event was a great experience. She hopes to be a professional Makeup artist in the future.
Having enjoyed the opportunity to further developing his skills, particularly of beauty and cosmetic make-up within a fashion context, and grow as a trainee artist Jackson Joseph Gillespie, 25 from Glasgow spoke of the event, “It’s been an interesting new addition to the HNC format and personally I’ve found it really exciting, there’s nothing better to display a fashion make-up course than a full fashion runway and it really makes you think of the overall piece: hair, make-up, costuming and overall narrative: I’m really looking forward to showing off my work as well as seeing everyone else’s interpretations” Speaking of his inspiration for his piece he said, “My unit was based around my personal biggest fashion icon influence when it comes to make-up and style, American singer Gwen Stefani: I have been a huge fan of her from an early age and think her ever-evolving style image from the late 80s until now she has always been setting or running the trends we see, always ahead of the curve. My submitted piece is based on her very iconic breakout look in the mid-90s which was a very hodge-podge mix of styles and influences from feminine, punk, ska, Californian beach style, Bollywood/East Asia and old Hollywood glamour.”
Jade Mackenzie, 19 from Alexandria loved getting the chance to showcase her work, especially in front of professionals. Speaking of the event she said, “I took inspiration from Vivienne Westwood as her looks are so different and in the future I’d love to work in theatre.”
Kimberly Sandhar, 29 from Paisley really enjoyed learning new things and experimenting with different looks. She took inspiration from Jeffree Star cosmetics, saying, “I love him as a makeup artist and person and thought I could do really bold looks which I love.”
Despite finding the run up to the show stressful Rachael Graham, 20 from Erskine fell in love with her look! She said, “I love being about to be creative and having a variety of looks that I can do. The fact that we got to experience something that would happen on industry is fantastic and has given me a better idea of what life will be like when I leave college.” Make up brand Morphe was her inspiration, she said, “I love the diversity that the Morphe range delivers and that's the create amazing makeup at affordable prices, this means that all people cause use the makeup and create any look there heart wants, I have always been a huge fan of Morphe.”
Amanda Williams, 24 from Glasgow loved the whole range of topics within the makeup industry covered by her course. She said of the event, “It was an incredible and wonderful experience which helped to show what I could do as makeup artist as well as being able to meet and receive feedback from people that were well established within the makeup industry, and to help get myself noticed.” She took her inspiration from the makeup brand Illamasqua, as she has always loved their style, She said, “It is quite unique and avant garde in that it is always a combination of quite glamourous and extravagant makeup. For my piece I wanted to create something similar to what could be taken for an Illamasqua style in that I want my look to be quite glamourous and regal looking as well as combining quite a rock and roll Mohawk hairstyle, two style that would not normally work together.”
Taking her inspiration for her piece from Versace’s iconic Medusa logo, Mairead McGuinness, 20 from Glasgow enjoyed learning something at every class and gaining more experience and confidence during the two years of the course.
Danielle O'Neil, 20 from Paisley enjoyed learning something new at every class. She said, “I have gained so much more confidence and experience while studying my makeup course from NQ6 media makeup to HNC fashion makeup. I enjoyed doing the makeup for the photoshoots as it has showed so much of my skills for all different styles within makeup in a professional way” Taking inspiration from Kat Von D Beauty for her showcase piece she share her experience of the event saying, “It was so amazing as it gave me the experience of what a real fashion runway show would be like behind the scenes, it felt so real and professional getting the chance to create a look and watch my model walk down the catwalk. I was very nervous that day but im so glad i made it to the end and got the chance to be a part of that event, thanks to my lecturers and support from them throughout my 2 years doing makeup at college.”
Taking her inspiration from Vivienne Westwood, Emma Christie, 24 from Kilmacolm loved having the opportunity to be as creative as possible. She said, “I had a wonderful time and it was all very professional, I really enjoyed seeing what everyone came up with”
Abigail Dolan, 20 from Johnstone enjoyed learning new things within the industry and becoming more creative when carrying out different styles of looks. She said of her experience of the showcase event, “I was over the moon with how the event went, It went so smoothly and my model carried off the look amazing. I wanted to create a neon themed look using a variety of the brand Illamasquas range of bright and bold products.” Abigail hopes to continue her education and go into achieve HND in Media makeup.
Georgia Cairney, 20 from Barrhead loved having the freedom to choose everything about her look saying, “I took my inspiration for my portfolio piece from Neon-the biggest trend in makeup and fashion at the minute for me. I’d love to try and get into the fashion makeup industry.”
Taking inspiration from the brand Charlotte Tilbury, Megan Rutherford, 23 from Paisley said, “I’ve always liked their style of makeup and find it like how I do my own makeup. I wanted to incorporate their trademark look such as the bronzed radiant skin but add my own take on it. I kept all the looks feminine but used different techniques and shadows that haven’t previously been used together by the brand.” This was her favourite part of the course and she enjoyed researching, planning and carrying out the finished three looks as it gave her an insight into different parts of the industry.
Skye Burt, 20 from Kilwinning said, “The thing that I enjoy most about the course is the freedom to create new looks. We are handed a great opportunity to show how creative we can be as makeup artists in creating new and different looks. I have found this to be very useful as Makeup Artistry is becoming one of the biggest markets - its important to stand out amongst a vast crowd. Being able to be creative allows us to build up our portfolio to show our ability as artists.” She took inspiration for her portfolio from Jeffree Star Cosmetics, a brand that she uses on a daily basis and loves their daring campaigns. She said, “I also took inspiration from Modern Art - another huge interest of mine with the idea of making a living piece of art. I wanted to combine my two inspirations to create 3 looks that were different yet all linked and show a 'Metamorphosis' of an initial idea to the final form.”
Taking inspiration from Charlotte Tilbury and hoping to progress with her education, Bharati Sharma from Glasgow said, “I am really enjoying learning about the different eras of makeup and how it evolved. I also enjoyed classical to current trends and techniques. Mostly, I am enjoying editorial and Runways make It has helped me to be more confident, show my creativity and skills doing makeup and hairstyles. I am enthusiastic about work in fashion world and this is a good opportunity and experience for me to learn, develop and grow within my field.”
Claire Carter, 30 from Glasgow took the opportunity to be creative and try new things she said, “A lot of preparation and planning has went into the event and I was excited to see it all come together. I knew I wanted to base my looks around the makeup artist Val Garland as she inspires me hugely and I hope my looks do her some justice.” This piece was inspired by the makeup artist Val Garlands work with the late designer Alexander McQueen and also an element from the John Galliano renaissance runway looks. She said, “I wanted it to be visually captivating and very Avante Garde as it is my final piece and also a runway show.”
Hannah Gormley, 23 from Paisley enjoyed letting her personality come across in the looks she created. She said, “I love seeing the end result. I also love that I’ve made friends for life within this course. I have worked really hard and I have put my all into creating the look. I’m excited to have my work shown live.” She took her inspiration from Charlotte Tilbury saying, “Her looks are stunning, and I believe we have similar beliefs on how makeup should look and make a person feel. As Charlotte said, makeup can give a woman confidence and I wanted to create that in my looks.”
Photography credit - Neil MacMillan Photography