Fashion Month is officially underway, and after spending the past week bouncing between New York Fashion Week shows, presentations, and backstage beauty moments, the runway has delivered a comprehensive preview of what will dominate style routines come spring. The Spring/Summer 2027 runways provided an abundance of hair, makeup, and nail inspiration that moved away from hyper-curated perfection, opting instead for a mood of romantic imperfection, tactile textures, and high-impact color.
From soft, undone knots that embraced a lived-in feel to a definitive return of bold, saturated cosmetics, this season’s beauty direction signaled a shift toward expressive individuality. Rather than strict symmetry and minimalist styling, top stylists and makeup artists leaned into romanticism, nostalgic textures, and effortless finishes. Here is a closer look at the seven major beauty trends that defined the New York runways and are poised to shape the upcoming season.
1. The Infinite Knot
Hair styling this season embraced fluidity and movement, perhaps best exemplified by the "Infinite Knot." Created by celebrity stylist Karim Belghiran for Cult Gaia, the look was inspired by the concept of a dreamlike woman navigating a dream world.
The style paired whisper-soft texture with fluid movement, anchored by an elongated, undone knot. The romantic aesthetic felt simultaneously effortless and elevated, delivering a delicate finish that complemented the collection’s modern femininity. By avoiding rigid structures, the Infinite Knot established a mood of relaxed elegance that resonated across multiple presentations.
2. Bright Lipstick
After years dominated by clear glosses, nourishing lip oils, and subtle, your-lips-but-better shades, actual lipstick made a decisive return to the runways. The New York Fashion Week collections did not ease audiences back into color; instead, they introduced vibrant, saturated hues immediately.
Bright pink lips emerged as a dominant choice, spotted at Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch, Conner Ives, and Tommy Hilfiger. Designers such as Christian Siriano and Tory Burch leaned further into rosy, bubblegum shades, moving away from the traditional peachy tones usually associated with spring collections.
The color palette intensified even further at Diane von Furstenberg, where models wore glossy red lips to complement the collection’s heavy 1970s and 1980s influences. Meanwhile, Thom Browne pushed the boundaries of traditional makeup by sending models down the runway with striking fuchsia, indigo, and plum pouts.
3. Undone Buns
For several seasons, beauty trends prioritized slicked-back ponytails and buns that required precise edge control to smooth away every stray hair. Spring 2027, however, offers a welcome break for edge brushes and heavy-hold gels. Knots remained a runway staple, but they abandoned the shellacked, ultra-tight finishes of recent years.
At Diotima, where designer Rachel Scott’s collection explored themes of the sea, memory, and the Caribbean, Oribe session stylist Joey George designed a low, textured, off-center knot. The style was crafted to evoke the appearance of a woman who had just emerged from the ocean.
TRESemmé partner and celebrity stylist Justine Marjan took the concept even further with her "Mermaid Messy Knot" at Christian Cowan. Marjan combined sleek sections with crimped, ribbon-like strands, deliberate flyaways, and a lived-in knot that prioritized texture over perfection.
4. Statement Eyeliner
The era of meticulously measured winged eyeliner, followed by tense minutes trying to match the opposite eye, has given way to a more expressive approach. At The Blonds, eye makeup became an integral part of the overall theatrical spectacle, featuring slightly messy, dramatic lines that matched the collection’s maximalist aesthetic.
Statement eyeliner appeared in various innovative forms throughout the week. At Heirlome, liner extended deliberately into the inner corners of the eyes. Area opted for heavier tightlining, while Sergio Hudson presented models with a retro, mod-inspired cat eye finished with floating liner elements.
Black was not the sole option for the eye area, as bright and metallic shades frequently punctuated the runways, offering a futuristic update to traditional framing techniques.
5. Sheer Nails
Manicure trends confirmed that translucent aesthetics are here to stay through 2027. At Diane von Furstenberg, nail artist Miss Pop introduced "Sunglass Nails," a series of sheer manicures inspired by the way natural light filters through tinted lenses.
Rather than relying on opaque, flat coats of polish, these manicures utilized sheer chestnut, pinky-beige, and matcha-green shades. This technique allowed the natural nail underneath to remain visible, creating a delicate, dimensional effect that felt modern and understated.
6. The Enchanted Crimp
Hair texture experienced a significant throwback moment, spearheaded by Christian Siriano. TRESemmé partner and celebrity stylist Lacy Redway introduced what she termed the "Enchanted Crimp." Inspired by folklore and modern fairy tales, Redway juxtaposed strategically placed crimped sections with ultra-sleek, highly reflective hair.
The contrast between the flat, shiny strands and the crimped texture elevated the overall finish. Siriano was not alone in embracing this revival. Crimping also appeared at Christian Cowan, where Marjan integrated textured sections into intricate updos and ponytails, and at Area, where George utilized structural crimps positioned around the face.
7. Athletic Blush
Athletic blush lived up to its name, capturing the healthy, diffused flush associated with a post-workout glow. Rather than concentrating color high on the cheekbones to create a sharply sculpted effect, this technique focused on a heavily blended, all-over flush designed to look lived-in.
At Atelier Ndigo’s presentation during Harlem’s Fashion Row 19th Annual Fashion Show & Style Awards, Dior International Makeup Artist Ricky Wilson layered three distinct highlighter shades and two blush shades on each model to build an illuminated complexion.
Similarly, at Kallmeyer, Saie Global Artistic Director Shain Kish developed three distinct makeup looks intended to reflect a cohesive, wearable aesthetic. Kish noted that the vision aimed to showcase a diverse, wearable range—transitioning from a smoky, lived-in liner to an athletic blush, and finally to clean, polished skin—to complement the versatility of the Kallmeyer collection.
