How MAC's makeup brought the concepts of London Fashion Week to life

While the runways of London Fashion Week dazzled with bold silhouettes and innovative design, the makeup brought each collection’s narrative to life - an artistic extension of the clothes, elevating the mood and meaning behind every look.

TheIndustry.beauty takes a closer look at the standout makeup looks created by MAC, and how each one added a unique dimension to the runway - perfectly complementing the designers' visions and elevating the overall impact of the LFW shows.

'Mad Rave' at Ashish

More dance party than traditional runway, Ashish’s SS26 show was a vibrant celebration of colour, joy, and movement that completely reimagined the catwalk. The bold, energetic spirit of the collection was mirrored in the makeup, with models - or rather, dancers - wearing vivid eyeshadow, radiant blush, bold lips, glitter, and ultra-thin brows. Each look was a perfect extension of the designer’s exuberant vision.

"The general vibe at Ashish this year-round was all the models were at a mad rave - and this is Ashish, so of course there will be glitter. Liz Taylor in Cleopatra, 70s Biba, 30s Garbo brow - but very decadent and free. There’s not much else to say other than it’s Ashish - so it’s obviously amazing," said Terry Barber, Global Director of Makeup Artistry at MAC.

'Love Drunk Flush' at Dreaming Eli

SS26 marked a notable evolution for Dreaming Eli, revealing a more refined approach to design, fabric choice, and emotional storytelling. Building on themes from previous seasons, the collection moved beyond resilience and endurance, instead embracing softness, vulnerability, and intention. This shift was echoed in the makeup: natural brows, soft lips, wispy lashes, and flushed cheeks created a delicate, romantic aesthetic set against a minimal, glowing base.

"The look is super romantic, it’s all about that honeymoon glow, a first-love glow on the skin with a ‘love drunk’ blush we’re calling it today. The flushed cheeks were created using our Strobe Liquid Blushes and a mega highlight using the new Skinfinish Lightstruck Highlighters, and then we had feral wild lashes placed really randomly on the eyes to give a kind of lived in eye look," said Carly Utting, Global Senior Artist at MAC.

‘Radiant Femininity’ at Connor Ives

For SS26, the makeup looks at Connor Ives were a bold fusion of past and present, blending nostalgic elements with a modern edge. Think frosted lips, bright matte colour, clean eyes, and a mix of both light and dark brows - each look crafted to reflect individuality while maintaining a cohesive, high-glam finish. The beauty direction celebrated contrast: bare lids against vivid lips, soft skin paired with sharp definition, resulting in a runway aesthetic that felt both editorial and wearable.

"The looks were all hugely inspired by many different eras – we have high glam supermodel skin, using MAC's Strobe Cream for a hyper glowy skin look. We also created custom pastel neon lips using a mix of MAC Paintsticks and Chromalines to create a fresh modern twist on an 80s look. The main lip, however, is Gel Frost Lipstick paired with Greige Lip Pencil - the cool girl lip of dreams," said Lucy Bridge, MAC Makeup Artist.

'Asymmetric Amy Winehouse' at Marques’Almeida

"We’re bringing colour back in a big way - it’s always been part of our DNA," Marta Marques revealed ahead of the Marques’Almeida spring/summer 2026 show. That bold, expressive energy carried through to the makeup, where a clean, natural base served as the canvas for striking, statement details. Eyes were the focal point, with exaggerated black and red liner creating a raw, graphic edge, while subtle lip detailing on some models added another layer of attitude and individuality.

"We did this very graphic Amy Winehouse, brutal thick black or red line from the corner of the eye. But we almost made it look like you’d taken your finger with eyeliner and dragged it from the brow into the eye. It was almost a take on the 50’s girl group eyeliner, but a bit brutal and graphic. Almost a bit ‘wrong’," said Barber.

‘Architectural’ at Ahluwalia

Ahluwalia unveiled Affinity - a richly layered exploration of love in all its forms, from quiet intimacy to passionate turbulence. Staged at London’s NoMad Hotel, the show unfolded beneath the building’s historic architecture and soaring glass atrium, setting a romantic and theatrical scene. The beauty look mirrored this emotional depth, with bold, architectural eyeliner contrasted against a neutral base and softly muted lips, creating a look that felt both structured and deeply expressive.

"This look was about love, it was about structure and it was about architecture. It was really anchored to the skin, and the skin was what made it romantic. We created this ‘mannequin skin’ using the new Skinfinish Lightstruck Highlighter from M·A·C, which was amazing. We also blanked out the lip with our Lip Erase - a product we brought back from the 90s with more inclusive colours - and then finished the lip with clear Lipglass over the top. On the eye, we had this architectural liner that was black, bold, and powerful, but still approachable," noted Romero Jennings, Director of Makeup Artistry at MAC.

‘A harmonious balance of neutrals’ at Richard Quinn

What came down the catwalk was unmistakably Richard Quinn - sweeping ball gowns, velvet cocktail dresses, off-the-shoulder silhouettes, and, of course, rosettes adorning everything. The beauty look matched this sense of high drama and elegance, channelling a supermodel-esque aesthetic with sculpted cheekbones, elongated eyes, and lifted brows. Lips were kept neutral for a soft finish or painted in bold reds to punctuate the look with classic glamour.

"There wasn’t a particular reference for the beauty in this show, I just think it was more about really pure beauty. It was sculpted and, I guess, if you liked a little ‘supermodel-y’, everything was lifted with a ski slope cheekbone, a lengthened eye, light eyeshadow, and a pushed-up brow with a contoured lip. It was timeless and elevated but effortless beauty," said Barber.

‘Polished luminosity’ at Roksanda

Drawing inspiration from the work of modernist sculptor Barbara Hepworth, Roksanda's SS26 collection reflected her legacy in both form and feeling. Silhouettes embraced negative space, textures invited touch, and colour stories stirred emotion - all coming together in a collection that was as thoughtful as it was striking. The makeup followed suit: clean, skin-focused, and quietly powerful, with luminous completions and the occasional statement lip - an ombre fade from deep black to rich red - adding a bold yet controlled intensity.

"The Roksanda look that season was a sculptural ode to Barbara Hepworth – clean, skin-forward, and quietly powerful. It was a celebration of restraint and refinement, where skin glowed with polished luminosity and lips whispered elegance through iconic M·A·C pencils like Caviar, Chestnut, and Mahogany. It was beauty that never shouted, but always spoke," said Sharryn Hinchliffe, Executive Global Director of Artistry at MAC.