Fashion week – particularly couture weeks – are hot spots for boundary-pushing beauty. Legendary MUA Pat McGrath made some magic at Valentino with petal-framed eye looks that reflect the dresses, while the vintage curls and smoky eyes of Dior recalled the roaring 20s. But it was a beauty look off the runway that stole the show at Schiaparelli, my eyes falling on the crystal-covered red alien sitting front row. After an initial jumpscare, I realised. That’s got to be Doja Cat.
Doja Cat’s style has always been as iconic as her music, but ever since she shaved her head and brows back in August 2022, her creativity and artistry has taken on a whole new life with her beauty aesthetics. Whether it’s front row at Fashion Week, gracing the cover of Dazed or Interview, or just experimenting with makeup at home, the musician has set the beauty rulebook on fire, danced on its ashes, and turned herself into human art. In fact, the singer famously told critics who objected, that her beauty decisions weren’t going to be dictated by being ‘F*ckable”.
Maybe that’s what makes her such a breath of fresh air on the front row of fashion shows. She’s diving head first into being a part of the art, and the reason it lands? Because each outlandish beauty look honours the brand or collection, while also feeling undeniably Doja. Or at least… undeniably not going to be anyone else.
For those who call it performative, of course it is. We perform everyday when we swipe a lipstick, but if you wanna take a leaf out of Doja’s beauty book: try too hard. Be too much. Seek attention. Vive la révolution!
Schiaparelli Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2023 show in Paris
This Schiaparelli look was the breakthrough that reached even the least fashion focussed. Pat McGrath’s team took five hours to apply 30,000 crystals to Doja’s face, head, torso and arms, for a result that will never be forgotten.
Viktor & Rolf Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2023 show in Paris
Clapping back at those suggesting her Schiaparelli look would have been improved with eye lashes, Doja took to her stories and wrote “If lashes are what you all want, then lashes are what you’ll get. See you at Victor and Rolf 🥸.” And well, she delivered. The superstar wore falsies as her brows, moustache, goatee – and as a final moment of petty, chose to wear zero falsies on her eyelashes. The masculine look went perfectly with her exaggerated tailoring,
Vogue World Show on September 12, 2022 in New York City
With her shaved head as smooth as can be, this full head art is a real mind-bender while still looking clean and elegant.
Givenchy Womenswear Spring/Summer 2023 show on October 02, 2022 in Paris
These stud brows and skunk lips are a clear ode to the brand’s dark and brooding aesthetic.
Vivienne Westwood Womenswear Spring/Summer 2023 show October 01, 2022 in Paris
Even the shape of this extreme eye look evokes the structure and lines iconic to Vivienne Westwood.
Monot Womenswear Spring/Summer 2023 show on October 01, 2022 in Paris
The caricature of contour is undeniably striking. And she doesn’t keep her bold beauty moves to the face, this look continues down the arms with the bold circles and deep blue talons that melt into her fingertips.
Awake Womenswear Spring/Summer 2023, on October 04, 2022 in Paris
Doja put her mark on this retro soft neutral suit and leather coat, with head-to-toe gold bodypaint that felt so 70s, despite being quite brilliantly bonkers.
Thom Browne Womenswear Spring/Summer 2023, on October 03, 2022 in Paris,
Highlighting that these beauty looks really aren’t just an exercise in showing off, you can see here how with this bold contrasting dress, she opted to carry the stripes up onto her face in a simple but effective chin stripe. A little piece of the experimentation she loves but one that honours the dress and the sweeping bare shoulders.
Bronx & Banco fashion show on September 09, 2022 in New York City.
Even in her first front row appearance, we see a pared back hint at what was to come (dashes of blue around her eyes), done in a way appropriate for the more understated show she was attending.
