“Seduction” was the maxim at Haider Ackermann’s first show for Tom Ford. His Fall 2025 read-to-wear debut for the house undoubtedly captivated with its sexy, elegant codes. “I hope I seduced you all,” he told press backstage.
To further illustrate this sensual state of mind, there was a singular beauty muse: Tippi Hedren in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. Lucy Bridge, head makeup artist, articulated this with diaphanous complexions set with retro but glamorous details to create a dual set of code-breaking beauty statements on the runway.
For one set of models, Bridge took pastel eyeshadows in green, lavender, yellow, and blue to emphasize the eyes. It was quietly theatrical and playful. The other looks centered on dark red lips, a focal point on the beauty mood board backstage. Leading Ackermann’s charge too was Kristen McMenamy, a dark-lipped icon herself. In keeping with the collection’s aesthetic, the designer set a brief that the lip look should “make you want to be kissed.” Meeting Bridge backstage, she broke down for Vogue how to reproduce these “characterful and desirable” lips in three key steps.
Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
The lip liner
First, Bridge used Tom Ford Beauty’s Lip Pencil in the shade Private Client. This not only redefines the contours of the mouth, giving it the desired shape, but also creates a base for a better hold of the lipstick to come.
Delphine Achard/WWD via Getty Images
The lipstick
To achieve the intense, captivating dark hue, Bridge mixed two shades of Lip Color lipstick from the Tom Ford Beauty range: The vibrant red 16 Scarlet Rouge and the powerful burgundy 18 Unzip. This mix of pigments created a unique, bewitching shade and with its creamy finish created over-hydrated lips—even more kissable.
The Gloss
Bridge trussed the look up more with a wet effect gloss, using Gloss Luxe in shade 01 Disclosure. This final step took place 10 minutes before the start of the show, so that the result would be defined and intense.
