Last night’s Dior Men Fall 2020 show by Kim Jones was one of the most epic men’s fashion shows ever to hit the runway, also marking the first time that the House has ever showed in Miami. Taking place in the Wynwood Arts District, opposite the famed Rubell Museum, the room was filled with stars, from David Beckham, Kim Kardashian West, Kourtney Kardashian, Maluma, Kate Moss, Bella Hadid, Travis Scott, and so many more. Though the collection (and the Shawn Stussy-designed graffiti-style reinterpretation of the Dior name) was the focal point of the evening, the looks would not have been complete with the beauty look to perfectly complement and highlight each of them. Who else could be behind such an iconic and distinctive interpretation of the futuristic-meets-tropical aesthetic of the collection, other than Creative and Image Director of Christian Dior Makeup/celebrity beauty guru, Peter Philips.

Photo Credit: J’DEE ALLIN FOR CHRISTIAN DIOR PARFUMS

Peter Philips describes the look that he created as “a cool look that emphasizes the natural beauty of men, thanks to clean and luminous skin prepared with product from the Dior Homme Dermo System line.” He continues, “Next, I applied the Dior Backstage Face & Body Primer, a natural, transparent base that mattifies and blurs the imperfections. I then evened out the complexion using the Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation line, whose light texture creates a perfectly natural impression. When necesasary, I used Dior Forever Undercover Concealer and the Flash Luminizer for a few touch-ups.” For eyebrows, he says, “I worked on the eyebrows for a touch of sophistication by making them straighter, thanks to the Diorshow Brow Styler and Diorshow Pump ‘N’ Brow.” And to finish the look, “I sprayed a strip of yellow and green color across the eyes with an airbrush. In this way, futuristic, colorful and graphic eyes seem to pop out of the shadow created by the Bucket Hat.”

Photo Credit: J’DEE ALLIN FOR CHRISTIAN DIOR PARFUMS

Yesterday, ahead of the doors opening to the show, I went backstage to catch up and chat with Peter Philips to chat about his inspiration behind the beauty look and collaborating with Kim Jones.

Deyvanshi Masrani: Can you explain a little bit about the beauty look you created on the models for this Dior Men Fall 2020 collection show?

Peter Philips: The boys here for the show get basic grooming—clean skin, natural looking—and then on about 13 boys, I think, we have a Daryl Hannah/Blade Runner-inspired airbrushed lime green/yellow green/fluorescent green stripe. That’s for the boys that mainly wear the Bucket Hats.

Photo Credit: J’DEE ALLIN FOR CHRISTIAN DIOR PARFUMS

DM: Where did the inspiration for this look come from?

PP: The inspiration [for this look] actually came from when Kim [Jones] showed me the collection about a month ago. The first impression I had—especially when I saw the Bucket Hats with flowers and things like that—was to maybe do something like a cyber surfer look with airbrushed, graffiti-like pastels, kind of like Daryl Hannah with a twist. Then I saw the set design of the show with that chemical green [color], so I thought it would be nice to have that color in a shadow, but make it pop more.

DM: What about the lips?

PP: Just scrubbing the lips to get rid of the dead skin and using the Dior Lip Maximizer to hydrate. The boys love it because when they first use it, they’re not used to it and then it tingles, so they ask for more. It actually plumps the lips but they don’t care! [Laughs]

Photo Credit: J’DEE ALLIN FOR CHRISTIAN DIOR PARFUMS

DM: Any differences between doing women’s and men’s makeup?

PP: Basically it’s the same. You want clean skin… but [with men] it’s a bit more basic. For girls, you use a toner, more foundation, a little more sculpting and highlighting; it’s more of a routine. With the boys, it’s a little more basic, almost like it’s more flat. You need to make sure they have the right skin tone, not using contouring or highlights, but basically it’s the same.

Photo Credit: J’DEE ALLIN FOR CHRISTIAN DIOR PARFUMS

DM: What products did you use to achieve this look?

PP: I use the Men’s Skincare line—after they’ve shaved, if needed—to hydrate, then I use the primer [Dior Backstage Face & Body Primer] under the base; then the face and body foundation [Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation] with the same skin tone—nothing darker or lighter—and then no mascara. For the stripe, it was a bit of a layering routine. I use Derma Shield to seal between the foundation/skin and the [colored] airbrush paint. I use the Temptu to spray it on and then I sealed it on—they can dive in the ocean with it and it won’t move.

Photo Credit: J’DEE ALLIN FOR CHRISTIAN DIOR PARFUMS

DM: Did Miami inspire any of the beauty looks?

PP: Yes, it did! The cyber surf [aesthetic] is very Miami. I would not create this look somewhere in New York, or somewhere like that…The looks have some very interesting combinations, like shorts with a trench [coat] and a Bucket Hat with flowers, and of course, that stripe. It’s a very rich collection; the graphic came form that. Miami is about color.

DM: What are your favorite parts of the collaborative process with Kim Jones?

PP: Working with Kim is always a pleasure. I’ve been working with Kim for a very long time; I’ve been working with him when he was at Dunhill, when he was at [Louis] Vuitton…I think I’ve worked with him for 20 years! I even worked with him when he was a stylist for Dazed and Confused. So, it’s a very good collaboration. It’s easy because he is open for suggestions. I compare it a lot to when I used to work with Karl Lagerfeld; he’s very ‘okay.’ [Karl] was always very open to suggestions and Kim is the same way. It’s a matter of trust; we’ve known each other for years. He knows I won’t transform his show into a makeup show and I can always add value without trying to take over or without being ‘wrong.’ Also, when it’s not needed, I don’t take it personally. It’s that kind of a relationship—it’s trust. His collections are also very inspiring with his English twist; even if it’s colorful, it has a dark and ironic side to it, it’s great. I love working with him. We’re already talking about the show coming up in January. We’re going to do an amazing show!