THE RECONSTRUCTION SS21

Fashion Week this season certainly looks a little different. From virtual shows to fashion film concepts, each designer has injected their take of the ‘new normal’ into their collections and CND™ have been right there at the forefront of this movement. Over the course of a two-day shoot, CND™ were there to witness the genius that is Gareth Pugh take his SS21 collection, The Reconstruction, in a completely different direction, with all proceeds going to the charity, Refuge.

The Reconstruction celebrates the way in which fashion, music and film entwine and, for the first time, Gareth’s runway collection will be presented as a ‘visual concept album.’ Featuring 13 iconic looks that were inspired by 13 iconic songs, the collection’s nail art was carefully curated by Lauren Michelle Pires using CND™. The Reconstruction has been captured in 13 stills and 13 explosive fashion film shorts - shot by globally renowned fashion image-maker Nick Knight.

“For us, when we do a shoot or a show, every little detail is important. I’ve worked with CND™ for quite a few years and their nail artistry is next level. They have that close attention to detail; I like things to be very particular and CND™ nail artists have a very slick approach to how they work.”

– Gareth Pugh, Designer

Lead Nail Technician Lauren Michelle Pires created eleven key nail looks, all utilising CND™’s extensive colour palette fused with her own individual creativity to elevate the SS21 collection with a keen eye to detail.

“I chose to partner with CND™ because their colour range is so extensive and it’s great for layering to create the bespoke colours that are needed to match a brief. In preparation for today, Gareth sent over the textures and the fabrics within the collection and any other inspiration that he had, and we then worked with and built upon that.”

-Lauren Michelle Pires, Lead Nail Technician

We’ll be revealing more from this campaign as it unfolds across the coming weeks but, for now, we’ve included a step-by-step from Lauren below, which you can easily recreate in-salon. Show us your take on this look by tagging #S2nails!

WEATHERED VERDIGRIS

This look complemented the outfit THE SHARD and was based around creating that weathered look that you might see on an outdoor statue.

Step 1: Apply CND™ Shellac™ Wear Extender Base Coat and cure.

Step 2: Apply two coats of CND™ Shellac™ in Magical Topiary and cure in between each coat.

Step 3: Dispense CND™ Shellac™ in Cap & Gown and Mystic Slate onto a palette for ease.

Step 4: Using a clean kitchen sponge, cut the sponge into a small square and lightly dab your dispensed Mystic Slate onto the nail in random areas. Do not cure at this stage.

Step 5: Using your sponge square, lightly dab Cap & Gown over the areas where you have just placed Mystic Slate to gently blend the two colours. Now you can cure this layer.

Step 6: Apply the CND™ Shellac™ Top Coat of your choice and cure.

Stay tuned this September as we reveal more looks, step-by step nail tutorials and behind the scenes previews.

THE RECONSTRUCTION CREDITS

Creative Direction: Gareth Pugh & Carson McColl

Photography: Nick Knight

Digital Artistry: Jon Emmony

Make-Up: Ana Takahashi for MAC Pro

Hair: Isaac Poleon for L’Oréal Professionel

Nails: Lauren Michelle Pires for CND™

Communications & Talent Programming: Raven

MODELS

Musicians Rina Sawayama and IAMDDB; Artist and activist Sakeema Crook; The Royal Ballet’s principal dancer Matthew Ball; Artist and Performer Jenny Bastet; Dancers Travis Clausen-Knight and James Pett; Model and muse Maggie Maurer; Performers and nightlife icons Finn Love and Georgie Bee; Model Jade o’Belle; And finally, fiercely vocal model-of-the-moment, Georgia Moot.

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