If there’s one thing I’ve learned during New York Fashion Week this season, it’s never to underestimate the power of social media. After sounding the call in a viral TikTok video for assistance from professional makeup artists for his Spring/Summer 2025 presentation, designer Christian Siriano discovered thousands of willing participants—who were later narrowed down to 20—while simultaneously waking a sleeping beauty giant.
Siriano was looking not only for artists to help punctuate his runway vision but also a makeup sponsor to tie it all together, after some beauty brands withdrew their support. “Maybe some brands will give us some makeup to use, I don’t know, or we're going to have to go shopping at like Nordstrom, or CVS, or Walgreens, or Target, or Bergdorf, somewhere to get the makeup,” he says in the video. “But I don’t really care. I will spend my own money—I want to have a fabulous look for this show, and I’m not going to let anything stop that.”
Along with lead makeup artist Vincent Oquendo—who counts stars like Jenna Ortega, Regina King, and Katie Holmes as clients—Revlon stepped in just over a week before the designer’s show to help bolster the beauty looks. The models's skin was prepped for makeup application using essentials from Borghese, including their Curaforte Moisture Intensifier and Crema Ristorativo-24 Moisturizer.
As Nikita Wilson-Gueye, senior director of integrated marketing and communications for Revlon, explained to me backstage of working with Siriano: “I think his passion for artistry and support for artists really resonated with us and our mantra of living boldly. He’s flipping the industry on its head, and that’s what we're aiming to do with our brand, so we thought it would be a great partnership. We saw the announcement and jumped on it, and it just shows the power of social media and the ability to put something out there and have people respond in real time and make magic happen.”
Siriano’s dark-fairy seasonal aesthetic was complemented by “moonlit smoke show” makeup that incorporated tried-and-true favorites from Revlon’s ColorStay collection. Strong eyeliner and twinkling shadow set the stage for a glamorous and impactful look, as well as the application of the brand’s Super Lustrous Glass Shine Lipstick, which is set to relaunch this November.
“This look draws inspiration from the enchanting allure of the 1920s, blending flirty, dark, and fairy-tale elements with a modern twist,” Oquendo said in a statement. “The soft, smoky eyes evoke a sense of mystery, while the luminous skin and delicate lips bring out a playful, yet sophisticated beauty. It’s a look that captures the magic of a timeless fairy tale, wrapped in the elegance and boldness of the Roaring ’20s.”
Shop Christian Siriano × Revlon’s Spring/Summer 2025 Makeup Look
Revlon ColorStay Multiplayer Liquid-Glide Eye Pencil in Checkmate
Revlon ColorStay Multiplayer Liquid-Glide Eye Pencil in Queen of Hearts
This season’s hairstyling also featured a similar ethereal mood, thanks to face-framing “fairy-dusted” waves and cornrows created by celebrity stylist Lacy Redway and team for Tresemmé. In addition to Tresemmé’s Extra Hold Mousse, Redway says the brand’s Mega Control Gel was key in setting models’ waves in place ahead of the show.
While Christian Siriano’s Spring/Summer 2025 catwalk provided a lane for Revlon’s backstage reemergence, the brand is no stranger to the fashion scene, even touting supermodel Ashley Graham as one of its longtime ambassadors. “We were able to pull together a look with our amazing products—some that are available right now, some that are coming to market in 2025—so viewers will see some newness on the runway,” Wilson-Gueye says. “It’s been really exciting, but also really, really beautiful.”
