The make-up of Diesel SS26 in the words of Inge Grognard and Michele Magnani The most important thing? Representing the community

Milan Fashion Week has come and gone, so what do we have left? Tons of Polaroids and make-up and beauty looks, from skincare to hair. One of the most talked-about shows was undoubtedly Diesel SS26. Not a traditional runway show, but a citywide event that unfolded through the streets of Milan in a treasure hunt or rather, a hunt for golden eggs. Inside the eggs were the models, whose looks were designed, curated, and created by Michele Magnani for MAC Cosmetics and Inge Grognard.

The Make-up of Diesel SS26

Michele Magnani told us: "The inspiration is linked to the Diesel community and everyone who wears it. The overall vision is very interesting; it’s about sensuality. A sensuality inherent in the people wearing Diesel. The make-up is lived-in, not constructed, just like the skin, which is raw, fresh, light, and minimal. It should show that there’s no mask, just a desire to express one’s identity without artifices." A make-up that is almost no make-up, expressed also through the hair, which is bleached, flat, and wet-looking.

"For the base," Magnani added, "we used Studio Fix Fluid in a minimal amount, just to even out the complexion and remove imperfections. It was important not to add texture to the skin. The skincare is also from MAC Cosmetics. Then we refined it, removing blemishes and imperfections. The brows are brushed upward. The eyes are very interesting, with mascara applied as we would every day, while in the car or diving into the subway. We apply it not as if we were in a safe place, in our bathroom with our kit, which might slightly smudge the eyelid." A perfectly imperfect make-up, then, that mirrors real life and embraces minor application flaws. "On the eyes, we add gloss and Carbon eyeshadow, super matte and super pigmented. The goal is to enhance imperfection, not follow trends in a didactic way, to break the rules and find a way to be noticed. We move away from the idea of a lip combo, for example."

Regarding the mascara, Inge Grognard, avant-garde make-up artist and iconic figure who forever changed the beauty world both on the runway and in the streets, commented: "Diesel’s fans are young, so we wanted the models to be fresh yet sexy. We applied a lot of mascara to the outer corner of the eye to lift it. The black is smudged, like a stain, a leftover, yesterday’s eyeliner. For the rest, the skin is hydrated. We added a bit of powder and that’s it. It’s very simple; the most important thing was to maintain Diesel’s spirit. We knew the focus had to be on the eyes."