Beauty Break: get nailed. Statement-making manicures for Soho, Sin City, Egypt, and the Playboy Mansion!

CND manicures were the only accessory at Wes Gordon's spring presentation; Poppyfield tips have Soho spirit.

We’ve all heard the expression, “Let your fingers do the talking,” and according to the pros backstage at Fashion Week, your digits have a lot to say! In today’s Beauty Break, we’re showcasing the hottest hands from the Spring/Summer 2012 shows—our favorite manicures and nail inspirations direct from the experts.

With his youthful approach to uptown sophistication, 25-year-old Wes Gordon is one to watch at New York Fashion Week—as were the classy-gone-sassy nails at his spring presentation. According to CND Nails guru Jan Arnold, Gordon’s gal has gone south for spring—South of Houston Street, that is. “She’s got a Soho sophisticated side,” Arnold tells Videofashion. This season, long, lean, almond-shaped nails were coated in a “nearly neon, yellow-based red” called Poppyfield. The vivid poppy is known for its, shall we say, euphoric capabilities, and this aptly named lacquer shade had us similarly entranced. The cheerful hue was the perfect complement to Gordon’s optimistic spring collection—so much so that the vibrant tips were the models’ only accessory! “What other fashion accessory do you need?!” says Arnold.

Fortunately, what happens backstage doesn't stay backstage. Deborah Lippmann's manicure for Narciso Rodriguez--no hangover required.

If you prefer more toned-down digits, you’re still in luck—understated shades were also trending on the Spring/Summer 2012 runways. To offset the technicolor tresses created by Eugene Souleiman at Narciso Rodriguez, nail expert Deborah Lippmann gave models a matching mani-pedi in a cool, gray color from her eponymous lacquer line. Cheekily dubbed “Waking Up in Vegas,”the soft cement hue hints at an alternatively bad-girl back-story told the murky morning after a wild night in Sin City. “You know, when everything’s just a little bit not right, a little bit off?” Lippmann describes the color story, with a wink. All hangover notions aside, subtly subversive shades of gray are a mysterious, chicly understated nail statement for spring.

Nail board backstage at The Blonds--digits worthy of the centerfold.

As a record-breaking pop-star, Katy Perry may be known for “Waking Up in Vegas,” but she’s also known for breaking rules on the red carpet, where she’s donned The Blonds’s extravagant creations more than once. We’re pretty sure Mrs. Russell Brand will likewise sink her claws into the nail trend showcased at The Blonds’s spring show. Famous for their over-the-top themed collections, the design duo’s latest mood board was covered in … bunnies. We’re not talking Peter Cottontail—we’re talking Playboy! With super-sexy cuts, glittering textiles, and in-your-face glamour on the catwalk, naughty nails were a must. “This season is about texture,” CND’s Kristina Estabrooks told Videofashion backstage in New York. While S/S 2012 makeup artists were giving lips the 3D treatment, manicurists nailed down texture by flattening their visual inspirations. “One of my favorites is this sheer black nail that looks like stockings with a French seam,” says Estabrooks. Other dazzling digits displayed on The Blonds’s bombshells included slippery oil-slick nails and our personal favorite: tips embellished with pave crystals. If you’re headed to the Playboy Mansion for spring break—or just want to channel your inner Girl Next Door—nail the pinup look with fun textures and ultra-glam accents.

Ancient accents made for a modern-day Liz Taylor tribute at Topshop Unique.

Finally, a manicure for the ultimate glamour girl: Elizabeth Taylor! For the latest Topshop Unique runway, creative director Karen Bonser looked to Liz’s Cleopatra for inspiration, and the Egyptian influence was seen backstage from the models’ gold leaf crowns to their hieroglyphic nails. Fortunately for us, the Egyptians’ simplified symbols are easy to replicate on your tips: start with bold basecoat colors—at Topshop, manicurists alternated teal, red, and metallic gold polish. Once dry, carefully adorn each nail with a white or gold shape. Let the second layer dry, then outline each shape in black lacquer with a polish pen. Topshop model Nimue Smit gives the look a thumbs-up. “It’s something different that people don’t expect,” says Nimue.  Also unanticipated: sporting a cryptic message—with a little research, you can really let your fingers talk!

What do you think of this season’s nail trends? Will you try any of these manicures? Let us know, and check back for more Beauty Breaks!

A Temperley Tale: celebrating True British with the quintessentially English, Alice Temperley

Padma Lakshmi joined Alice Temperley to celebrate Temperley London's tenth anniversary and toast the new tome, True British.

“At the beginning, I had no idea what fashion shows were going to entail,” admits Alice Temperley. “I hadn’t really been to any!”

Oh, what a difference ten years makes.

A decade on, Alice Temperley is now well versed in all things runway show (see our video for proof) and at the helm of a burgeoning fashion empire (the House of Temperley is comprised of thirteen annual collections!). With a regal following and a most excellent of royal honors to her credit, Temperley is today’s quintessential English designer, and her aptly named new book,  True British: Alice Temperley, (Rizzoli) is an intimate look at the first ten years of Temperley London.

“The brand has been through such a massive evolution. We thought it would be nice for everybody to understand where the brand came from and how it became what it is now,” Temperley told Videofashion Wednesday evening in New York. The petite designer and her husband, Temperley CEO Lars von Bennigsen, hosted an intimate celebration in Soho, toasting the brand’s tenth anniversary and the new tome with guests including Hamish Bowles, Padma Lakshmi, and Tinsley Mortimer.

True British is a veritable Temperley treasure trove, featuring Alice’s sketches, memorable editorial images, ad campaigns, candid party photos, as well as personal images of the extended Temperley family—a behind-the-scenes look at the past ten years. Editing a decade’s worth of imagery into a 272-page book was no easy task. “We had 300,000 images!” Temperley revealed. Photographs from the pre-Instagram era (remember film cameras?!) created additional challenges. “In year one, there was no digital. We had to call all our friends who were photographers and say, ‘Can you find that negative?!’ ” Temperley said with a laugh.

Though a tedious endeavor, the designer is elated with the finished product. “It’s so nice to have all the sketch books, and mood boards, and campaign images, and the whole essence of what Temperley is, all in one place, where we can say, ‘This is where we started, and this is what we’ve learned, and this is now what we have,’ ” she explained.

True British: Alice Temperley

Tripping down memory lane for True British only reinforced Temperley’s passion for her craft—and her appreciation for her journey. “My learning, very publicly, is within those pages,” she told Videofashion. The earliest images in the book are among her favorites. “At the beginning, [my goal] was literally just to be able to make clothes because I enjoyed it, and to be able to sell them in order to make more!” she explained. Temperley’s commitment to growing from experience is still at the essence of her brand, and at the heart of the book. “As everything evolves, you never, ever, ever stop learning,” she emphasized. “That’s why the book is nice—it shows the naiveté of how [the company] started, and therefore shows something that’s very uncalculated, very organic.” Far from a “glossy and airbrushed” portrayal, Temperley aimed to reveal the brand’s purity in the pages of True British.  “It tells a very real story,” she added.

Celebrating a truly British book from a truly British designer begged the question: what does it mean to be truly British?! “Well, I don’t know any different!” Temperley laughed. “Eclectic, thinking for yourself, and having quite a free spirit. Not really thinking about what other people think. It’s much more about expressing your own individual thing. But you’re not afraid of heritage,” she replied.

English pride notwithstanding, even the most dedicated Brit needs a break from tradition—at least on this side of the pond. “When I’m in New York, I want to go do New York things,” Temperley admitted. “I go to places like Raoul’s, or Rose Bar for a martini.” And for a pint?  “I don’t go to pubs in New York—that would be wrong!” Spoken like … a true Brit.

True British: Alice Temperley is now in stores, and Temperley London’s Spring/Summer 2012 runway show is now playing on Videofashion:

Selita Ebanks shines light on Costa Verde International School, Sierra Leone, & holiday giving, supermodel-style!

Selita Ebanks poses with artwork up for auction to benefit Sayulita, Mexico's Costa Verde International School.

She’s graced the pages of Sports Illustrated, strutted her stuff in some pretty fantastic lingerie, and she ran away with Kanye’s video—the girl even makes getting fired look good! But Selita Ebanks is more than just a supermodel—she’s also a superstar philanthropist.

Thursday night in the West Village, Ebanks was out to support the Costa Verde International School, a “green school” in Sayulita, Mexico, co-founded by Ebanks’s friend, photographer Anne Menke. CVIS aims to provide the Sayulita community with progressive education focused on environmental sustainability and responsibility in Mexico—a lofty goal to achieve with limited resources. Ebanks—looking cozy in a wooly DVF vest over her Rebecca Taylor frock—hosted the 401 Green Photography & Fashion Auction, where everything from Menke’s photos to a Mexican getaway were up for bid, with proceeds benefitting CVIS.

 Having collaborated with Menke throughout her modeling career, Ebanks was happy to shine some light—and funding—on CVIS. “[Menke’s] children go there, and it’s free admission for all the local kids. It’s such an amazing thing, to bring children from all walks of life together,” the Caymanian beauty told Videofashion. “I just had to help her.”

The curriculum at CVIS stresses community involvement—something instilled in Ebanks and her seven brothers (s-e-v-e-n!) since childhood. “It was really important to my Mom to allow us to see the world and reality. We didn’t wear rose-colored shades,” Selita told Videofashion. “We knew where our Thanksgiving turkey was coming from, so we would volunteer for Thanksgiving for the homeless, we would wrap presents for other kids.” Ebanks continues to make giving back a priority. “Community work and being aware of your surroundings is very important,” she added.

While guests sipped Gran Centenario Tequila cocktails and enjoyed music by Lovely Liar, Ebanks filled us in on another charity dear to her heart. “Shine on Sierra Leone is an organization I started working with three years ago,” Ebanks told Videofashion. The group, dedicated to lowering child mortality in the tiny, war-torn West African nation, is finally ready to open Sierra Leone’s very first maternity hospital! Ebanks couldn’t be more proud. “The team is going down on November 20, and there’s going to be a big ceremony. We are really humbled by it,” said Ebanks. “It’s just our first hospital, and I’m going to continue to work hard!” she added.

When Selita isn’t working, she still keeps busy doing good. This year for Thanksgiving, the supermodel is headed to Georgia, where she’ll be whipping up some southern hospitality in mom’s kitchen. “I’m cooking!” she emphasized. “It’s like a six-course meal she’s requested! She’s gonna put her feet up and be Mommy.” (awww …)

As for Christmas, Ebanks is sans wish list. “I’ve had a really successful year, especially with my philanthropy, so I’m happy,” she shared. Her holiday shopping list is also short and sweet. “I don’t really give gifts; I make donations to UNICEF in people’s names,” said the benevolent beauty. A supermodel-approved time-saving and life-saving present? That’s a gift that really keeps on giving!