When Linda Koldenhoven, Chair of the Women’s Advisory Board at the Museum Of The Bible, contacted me to be the Lead Makeup Artist for the Biblically inspired fashion show it was a no brainer, so of course I said YES! Everything about this show was appealing to me and I was honored to be asked to take on this role! As a native New Yorker, of Italian and Cuban descent, fashion is second nature to me! My career as a makeup artist began in the fashion industry in New York City decades ago! As a Christian, who reads Scripture daily, my life is personally impacted by the Bible. To be involved with a runway show that tied faith and couture fashion together was honestly a dream come true!
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed touring the Museum Of the Bible several times and one of my favorite permanent exhibits is the “Impact Of The Bible” on the second floor. It showcases ways in which religion and the Bible impact our daily lives through music, theater, art, culture, and FASHION!
What is “biblically inspired” couture? It’s high end clothing and accessories that have themes of bible stories and religious figures in the design. Some of the world’s leading clothing and accessory designers such as Gianni Versace, Dolce and Gabanna, Chanel, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, and Jean Paul Gauthier have used these themes in their clothing and accessory lines! Some of the designer’s vintage pieces that have walked on runways around the globe are on display in the “Impact Of the Bible” exhibit! Many of these pieces were in the runway show!
The fashion show held on Tuesday September 17, 2019, in the grand ballroom, was a ladies luncheon/ fundraiser for the museum. The runway show was a vision that Linda Koldenhoven had before the museum even opened its doors on November 17, 2017! Ms. Koldenhoven produced the show and collaborated with Lauren Rothman, celebrity fashion stylist and author of “Style Bible: What To wear To Work”, to coordinate all the looks for the runway show! My role was to help execute the makeup and hair styles that would pull it all together, with the clothing and accessories, for the event! I met with Linda and Lauren weeks before the show to take a look at the fashions and accessories, including crowns and headpieces, so that we could create the coordinating runway makeup and hair looks!
As lead makeup artist I pulled together a team of makeup artists and hair stylists that could execute our looks. I carefully hand selected like minded, talented artists that had experience with fashion shows, and had a great appreciation for the magnitude of this particular show! Each artist brought their unique set of gifts and talents to the table. Their professionalism and ability to handle the pressure that comes with a runway show helped make my job easier, as it can get very hectic backstage! What makes runway makeup and hairstyling so unique is that it must be creative, applied with precision and speed, and it must be consistent with the vision and theme of the show!
As lead artist, my role is to design the looks that execute the fashion show coordinator’s vision, manage the artists backstage, while also working on the models. A lot happens backstage preparing the models with makeup, hair, clothing, and accessory changes, and there isn’t a lot of time in between scene changes! In order to have things run smoothly, and in a timely manner, I had to be extremely organized! I created face charts, with the looks that Linda, Lauren, and I decided on, and I assigned models to specific artists with very thorough instruction guides for the artists to follow. My team members were as follows; makeup and hair stylists Meredith Ehler and Toni Wallace, hair stylists Michael Henderson ( Ferro Salon DC ), Dayna Fields, Angela French, and makeup by yours truly! I couldn't have hand picked a better team! We all worked efficiently, helping each other when needed, and created beautiful looks on all the models! The first time ever ‘Biblically inspired” runway show was spectacular!
The finale of the show featured a one of a kind, exclusive couture gown by Italian designer Chiara Boni. The beautiful creation was inspired by Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel and was truly breathtaking on the runway! Chiara Boni La Petite Robe is owned by Anthony Vecchione. The couture gown was designed for, and will be donated to, The Museum Of the Bible! It will be added to the “Impact Of the Bible” exhibit in the fashion section. This event was definitely one of my favorites, in my career as a makeup artist! It was a collaborative effort and a job well done by all who participated! The Museum Of The Bible is a MUST SEE if you are in the Washington, DC Metro area!
Runway Show Photo Credit: Karen Saunders Photography
Here are some photos and a video with highlights from the spectacular event…
