Chanel Reinvented the Classic Cat Eye For Its Pre-Fall 2019 Fashion Show

Chanel returned to New York City for its Métiers d’Art (Pre-Fall 2019) runway show and gave a nod to ancient Egypt through the backdrop of the 10 B.C. Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Add in the carefully deconstructed and exaggerated cat-eye makeup that all models sported on the runway, and the entire extravaganza embodied “Cleopatra meets New York City” beauty vibes.

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The Métiers d’Art honors the craftsmanship of the workshops that Chanel has acquired and kept independent, and this year, the beauty shined as bright as the garments.

Chanel’s global creative director for makeup and color, Lucia Pica was behind all the looks for the show, leading a team of 37 makeup artists who had to work with 80 models, some wearing gold body paint. To say it was a huge undertaking would be an understatement. The beauty concept was a contemporary take on the classic cat-eye in white, gold or deep blue gel eyeliner.

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“This show is inspired by ancient Egypt, but I wanted to have a more futuristic take on it — something really aerodynamic and strong,” Pica told T Magazine.

Amongst the 1,000 special guests in attendance were celebrities like Julianne Moore, Marion Cotillard and Penélope Cruz, who sat front row to see view the globally-inspired collection, which also included a lot of gold ensembles and scarab beetle accessories.

Standout Kaia Gerber wore a denim look, an odd, but semi-cohesive choice, with a dark blue cat-eye and slicked back hair. She even kept her makeup on a little longer, post-show—basically, a nod of approval and proof that this look can be recreated.

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Chanel ambassador Pharrell Williams also made an appearance on the runway, donning dark blue eyeliner and head-to-toe gold fashion.

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While Chanel clothing isn’t accessible to all, the beauty-inspiration is. Cat-eyes have become a bold, yet debatably simple, going out look, and there’s no sign of it disappearing from its “classic” positioning. Now, deconstructed cat-eyes have the opportunity to bring even more fun to the application of eyeliner.