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Q: What drew you to the world of Fashion & Beauty?
Edwin: “I believe we are all subconsciously into beauty & fashion even at a microscopic level. I feel like I’ve always seen the beauty and nature and the imperfect growing up, but also things about my mother who worked as a cosmetologist color consultant. I was inherently drawn to tweaking and adjusting to create the most desirable outcome/results. Now studying more of that myself you can definitely find the perfect harmony in beauty and or finish with using complementary principles rather than against it.”
Q: Doing people’s makeup often requires close proximity between the artist and the person in the chair: What have you learned from a person sitting in the chair?
Edwin: “Not only does doing make up require close proximity. It also requires trust and surrender, and so there are a lot of times where I provide a service and you know I can deliver the makeup look they’re looking for without much intimacy, but because it is and we are human we tend to connect and when we do, I love to learn more about my clients and who they are as a person to really curate and let that frame of mind shape my decision toward they’re makeup and outward appearance. That way their inner light can shine forward. I learn a lot from people during their time in my chair. It’s almost always a mini therapy session.”
Q: Fashion and Makeup have always had a strong relationship because they work together to complete a vision. What visual elements do you consider when putting together makeup looks for a runway? (Is it a particular attitude that a collection projects, or do you consider the textures, colors and form of clothing?)
Edwin: “I love this question cause you know they’re right on the head. It’s funny because when people reach out for make up during the consultation, I like to ask them what they are wearing and what are some of the key motions they want to feel during this. Do they want to be seductive and mysterious or maybe more bold and eccentric? Or is your vision something subliminal and soft naturally lived in ? The makeup and the intensity of it can psychologically make something more primitive + feline or can create something soft round & alluring.”
Q: How did you & Karina begin your collaboration?
Edwin: “In all Honesty, it started from the day she reached out and we both jumped on call trying to decide on what days worked best for us to meet for our fitting! Karina has a very special and intuitive way of putting all the details and factors of both parties w whoever she works with until it funnels through to create the most collaborative thing. After our initial project together in Arizona fashion week, we both have a way of helping each other with no super close minded expectations and lots of open curiosity with both being visionaries and knowledgeable of past fashion eras & moods.”
Q: Being a model and a makeup artist means that you have experienced different aspects of a fashion show and a photoshoot: what have you learned from being a model that you take with you when you are doing a makeup look on a model?
Edwin: “I love that. I learned Makeup and Modeling around the same time when in professional modeling school. What I took in the most [from that experience] was that it has to be user-friendly and it has to feel good if I’m doing it on somebody else. So with both experiences, they helped me streamline a very easy routine, and business plan when sitting someone down in my chair and getting the model as comfortable as possible so I can do everything smoothly and seamlessly. It starts a lot with skin care. Also, making it where the model has to move the least or do the least work as opposed to moments where I’ve sat in the chair wondering when it will end. I also make sure anyone who sits in my chair always feels comfortable and confident in whatever they wear. That’s the cool thing about makeup: we can always tweak it to our liking! Whenever I collaborate with a fashion designer, I always take into consideration what their brand story emotes and the guiding pillars of their style & brand origins. I’ll ask myself or with the designer what is the message behind this collection, what are they trying to convey or emotions to feel in order to portray that through the makeup.”
Q: How does your culture inform your work?
Edwin: “It’s funny you asked this because I used to feel like I would use makeup to cover up and hide behind it as a shield but now it’s like my warrior paint. I like to use it and teach others about the power it can have to enhance our natural beauty and unique features rather than hiding or concealing them, we could accentuate them and put her face forward and that’s my artistry philosophy. Connecting with my old ways of life I’ve discovered to use more plant based or vegan/natural/clean makeup products both in my kit & personal bag. Apart from that I normally will always use raw material for hair/face mask or personal hygiene somewhere along the lines.”
Last Question: From your experience as a professional in this industry (industries) what would you improve in the industry? Pretend you are in a room of high executives and they are asking what you would want to see changed or introduced in products, marketing, price points, messaging etc.
Edwin: "I think a lot of the smaller brands are doing just that with more diversity, inclusion, representation, eco-sustainable & eco-regenerative with clean natural vegan cruelty free products. They just need the marketing, reviews and same love we give the big brands so they can get their highlight. I also often think about how we can fight capitalism or how we can create change though the brands we support so a give back program or cause."
A special thank you to Edwin for sharing such valuable knowledge for readers interested in entering the Fashion and Beauty industry.
Follow Edwin Lunes on instagram @edwinlunes and work as a makeup artist: @lunesartistry
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