Laura Longenecker. (2010). Alexander McQueen: Horns of Plenty.Available: http://fashionpassionpdx.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/alexander-mcqueenthe-horn-of-plenty.html. Last accessed 3rd February 2015.
One of the main challenges that faces us as makeup designers is that of actually designing a makeup look and perfecting it on the skin. This is something I encountered today but found that through completely exaggerating my mistake (slightly out of frustration) it created a homage to the glorious Alexander McQueen's 'Horns of Plenty' which was in an iconic fashion show from his Autumn/Winter collection of 2009/10. McQueen is a vital designer to look at particularly within developing a concept of modern gothic influence amongst fashion and beauty as his shows are artistically iconic at imbruing the strange and beautiful. The concept of the dramatic red, almost clown like, lip was a statement makeup design from his show created by the makeup artist Peter Phillips who stated that the concept was "inspired by clowns, divas and Pierrot, with a bit of Joan Crawford thrown in" but also carries an essence of the famed Goth musician Marilyn Manson who represents an iconic figure head of the modern gothic fashion.
What was most interesting from this was how easily one concept bleeds into another. Originally the design for the look I was practising here did not feature a red lip at all as it was not fitting of the character design of Miss Havisham, however simply due to a moment of frustration a whole other connection was created. The final design instead still maintains the glossy skin, sunken eyes and ashy bronzed shadowing under the eye but instead features a dry washed out lip gathering the essence of decay surrounding Miss Havisham. The key concept for my design is to maintain that youthful skin on the face which I feel was preserved through self mummification in a mansion of wax candles and sheer vanity, but present that sense of age and decay through sunken eyes and cheekbones. In reality Miss Havisham's home would of been incredibly greasy and damp caused through both rotting and the fat from candle wax. In a disgusting sense it would have kept her face fairly moist with greasy shine. In addition to this is the magical element that seems to live in the air around Miss Havisham as she is compared to a witch but also a strange fairy godmother, this is hinted at in my use of gold through the brows and under the eye. The bronze tone adds to the depth of the hollowing but at the same time hints at the magical elements that surround this strange and wonderful female figure. The areas of special effects ageing will be focused on the hands which melt into the decay of the house, my concept separates the face from the body following the concept of a nun hostage to her own sexual repression. Her mind is young awaiting her lover, yet her body has decayed with the reality of abandonment and household rot. The interesting element I found in this image is that with the red lips visible the makeup visibly follows that of McQueens iconic show and yet to hide the lips the face immediately appears more sullen like that of Miss Havisham. It has opened my eyes to how even the slightest change can create a dramatic contrast in the design of makeup. 
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