Fashion month always brings its whirlwind, but this season I squeezed in a very special flying trip to Madrid with Alexa Chung for Carolina Herrera’s SS26 show. During our visit, we created two gorgeous modern looks, both of which are perfect for the new season. Here’s the insider story on each, what inspired them, and, of course, every kit detail you’ve been asking for.
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Look 1: Florals & 60s Meets The Masters
Our first look was rooted in the spirit of the Carolina Herrera floral gown Alexa wore: vivid, playful, with a nod to 60s silhouettes, think structured lines updated with today’s softer edges. Our goal was to channel the vibrant energy of Spanish florals, pairing that bold Herrera femininity with Alexa’s magnetic cool. We were inspired during this trip by Madrid’s most famous art, housed in the Prado. For this look we were very inspired by the hues of the Goya masterpieces; a festival of colour, and the peachy mouths of the women depicted in the romantic paintings of the 19th century. The makeup balanced structure and spontaneity: a softly defined lash line (using Carolina Herrera Chic Eyeliner Stick Matte) blurred at the edges for a retro feel that stayed easy and approachable.
Skin was kept bronzed and luminous; I love the effect of sweeping bronzy blush across cheeks and nose, echoing the golden quality of a Madrid evening. This sculpted, glowing base set the scene for a revived 90s lip moment: taupe and brown liners for gentle contour, a pop of orange at the edges, and a lighter nude centre for fullness. The finishing touch was Good Girl Lip Liquid Velvet in a satin-velvet finish—a little London polish on Spanish sunshine.
Floral Look: Kit List
● Warm bronzy blush for that sun-kissed glow: Carolina Herrera Bronzer
● Eyes: Carolina Herrera Chic Eyeliner Stick Matte
● Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette: The Neutrals
● Lips: Fabulous Kiss Lip Liner 49 Gorgeous Brown (hydrating, sculpting, transferproof)
● 5570 Orange lip colour
● 780 Chic Nude lipstick (centre)
● Good Girl Lip Liquid Velvet in 570 (satin velvet finish)
Look 2: Prado Perfection & Artfully Sculpted Skin
For the second look, further inspiration struck from the halls of the Prado Museum itself. As Alexa wandered among Spanish old masters, Goya’s The Parasol, with its dappled light, and Velázquez’s Las Meninas, the look was elevated: a homage to classical art but interpreted with a modern, Alexa twist. We built in a nod to the 60s, but this time, the eyeliner traced the lash line in precise fashion before softly blurring outwards, echoing a vintage cinematic glamour caught in soft gallery light.
For skin, my starting point was sun-kissed and softly sculpted. I layered a liquid, orangey blush (Carolina Herrera Good Girl Blusher in 1042, “Sunburnt Petunia”) with a hint across the nose, for that classical-art-inspired flush. The lips played with dimensional contour, using a taupe liner for definition and a deeper velvet for a lush, painterly pout; every detail was blended to look effortless and alive, just like the brushwork we admired at the museum.
The LBD Black: Kit List
● Blush: Carolina Herrera Good Girl Blusher in orangey 1042 (“Sunburnt Petunia”)—liquid, sheer and buildable, for that lit-from-within vibrance.
● Lip: Fabulous Kiss Lip Liner 46 for sculpted edges and Good Girl Lip Liquid Velvet 1016 for lush, velvety finish.
● Eyes: A wash of Armani Beauty Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow for staying power and subtle depth.
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