When Brandon Flowers stepped onto the stage at this years Brits 2009 in that jacket I died as I felt my own wardrobe implode with sheer joy. His jacket had major shoulder pads covered in long feathers and the overall look was a mixture of indie legend and an American footballer who had been given a makeover by Jean Paul Gaultier.
I was pleasantly surprised at how many people shared in my amazement and when I set my Facebook status to something Brandon-related immediately I had replies from fashion, music and technology writers all claiming to be either in love/ mad with envy or seeing double. I, myself, felt that I recognised the jacket and it wasn’t until the next day that I realised the model Brandon had obviously been taking style tips from…
Male make-up is taking the entertainment industries (that’s cosmetics/ fashion/ music and film) by storm. No longer is a touch of bronzer and a dab of lipstick meant only for dressing-room gents; ‘guyliner,’ ‘mancake’ and ‘mank-up’ are all terms being more frequently used amongst the youth of today.
Everyone is searching for an adopter of this trend (because, let’s face it- after Beck’s ‘sarong’ drama no-one wants to be the first man standing.) Zac Efron seems to have been hoisted up as the sail of this cosmetics boat but I, as an image-conscious male, don’t exactly see Efron as one to mimic.
List any of this season’s It-items and chances are they are water-related or wave-inspired. Yes, that means you boat shoe, loafer, plimsoll, striped tee and navy (hello!) blue shirt.
The mood is light yet determined and spray-in-the-face cool. Imagine sea-side escapades (emphasis on the imagine) and sand between your toes as you loosely raise that striped knit from your oversized Jil Sander mesh-holdall.
Look to the collections of Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton (left) and see after the jump for a full report of this operation. Oh, my fellow SEALs, the time has come for a full-scale suppression of those autumnal tones.
Part two of the Stuart Waterman makeover, and I have to confess that after applying the eyeliner I laughed like I have never laughed before in my life, emitting some sort of inhuman cackle!
Anyway, the verdict? The eyeliner may have been a step too far for Stuart but he did take away the sheer gel bronzer so I declare a victory for male make up. The Jean Paul Gaultier range is priced between £29 and £9 and is available nationwide.
Snoop Dogg has some explaining to do! Over at Fashionista, they have spotted this rather blatant copy of Jean Paul Gaultier’s ‘Le Male’ perfume bottle for his new Landy Cognac ‘Desir’ bottle design. Snoop Dogg is the latest spokesperson for the alcohol brand but he seems to be running dry of ideas (pardon that shocking pun!) So what do you think- horrific homage or careless copy?
Over at Kiss and Make Up Zara is showcasing JPG, the range of men’s make up by Jean Paul Gaultier, which is an extensive line of 17 products ranging from a fairly conventional face scrub to a more adventurous ‘fluid bronze multi complexion’.
My indie-boy friends in their youth used to sometimes smear a bit of eyeliner or mascara for a night out and some of my gay friends have been known to whack on a bit of fake tan or a hint of blusher but that’s as far as it goes make up-wise for them.
We’re going to put the JPG cosmetics to the test soon on an unsuspecting staff member in what should be a memorable video, but in the meantime take our poll to let me know what you think of manouflage.
Gaultier showed his latest collection in homage to Fred Chichin of the French electro duo, Les Rita Mitsouko, who died at the end of last year. Chichin was a true French gent, in the mold of Serge Gainsbourg or Yves Montand and Gaultier’s collection captured that twisted elegance. Click on pic to zoom.
When Brandon Flowers stepped onto the stage at this years Brits 2009 in that jacket I died as I felt my own wardrobe implode with sheer joy. His jacket had major shoulder pads covered in long feathers and the overall look was a mixture of indie legend and an American footballer who had been given a makeover by Jean Paul Gaultier. 
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