Go Backstage at the Naeem Khan, Badgley Mischka, and Reem Acra Fashion Week Shows

Trending Videos

NYFW Backstage — Photo: Sarah Balch for InStyle.com

The runways of New York Fashion Week were ripe with fall's hottest trends, and with each show coming together so beautifully without a hitch, we were left wondering -- what is Fashion Week like from the model's point of view? We went backstage at Naeem Khan, Badgley Mischka, and Reem Acra so we could find out, and learned that early call times, a lot of primping, and last-minute alterations were all part of the Fashion Week agenda -- in addition to the star-studded after parties, and taking that glorious strut down the catwalk, of course.

Each model makes working a runway ensemble so easy, but behind-the-scenes, teams of makeup artists, hairstylists, and manicurists worked quickly to prep each girl as the press excitedly watched the entire look come together. In order to stick to the schedule, time was money, but the glam squad had the backstage routine down to a science. We watched in amazement as multiple artists simultaneously worked their magic, and we even picked up key tips from each of the pros in case you're eager to give your beauty routine a runway twist. Click through our gallery to take an exclusive trip backstage at each show now.

01 of 15

Naeem Khan

Using the stars of the early burlesque and cabaret circuit as his muses, NARS' director of global artistry James Boehmer went for a sheer wash of gold shadow and rich red lip. "I wanted to reference Weimar Berlin without being too literal," he says. "The deep red lip is balanced with a gilded eye, defined brows, and full lashes. The luminous skin and dewy texture add to the decadence of the look."

02 of 15

Naeem Khan

To play off the 24-Karat hue of NARS' Kauai shadow ($35; narscosmetics.com) and the gold details throughout Naeem Khan's collection, lead manicurist Julie Kandalec layered Essie's Good as Gold underneath the lacquer in Shifting Power ($8.50 each; essie.com).

03 of 15

Badgley Mischka

"The look was inspired by the golden years of America," says lead makeup artist Tom Pecheux. "It's very 1950s and '60s." For the highest-impact color payoff, he mixed MAC's Goldmine eye shadow with the Eyeliner Mixing Medium ($15 and $13; maccosmetics.com), then painted on a thin winged-out line using the Blacktrack Fluidline ($16; maccosmetics.com).

04 of 15

Badgley Mischka

Lead hairstylist Peter Gray, who used Moroccanoil products on each girl, gave the term "drawing inspiration" a literal meaning when he used artist Gustav Klimt's works as a reference for the half-updo and deep, side-swept bang. He wanted the fringe to look as if it were painted on, which contrasted nicely with the soft textured waves.

05 of 15

Badgley Mischka

A model shows off her finished makeup for a blogger backstage. The nails, by Deborah Lippmann, combined a chrome base with a sparkly, gold half-moon. "The nails were drawn from the Badgley Mischka concept of a Viennese princess leaving the ball and stopping at the club to visit her Russian boyfriend," Lippmann tells us. "Upon seeing the stunning silvers and exceptional beadwork, I went about creating an atypical half-moon manicure."

06 of 15

Badgley Mischka

No effortless flyaways here-the look is all about a sleek texture, leaving no room for any undone wisps. Just before lining up with the rest of the models, a hairstylist gave one girl a quick pass with a fine-toothed comb to keep every hair in place.

07 of 15

Badgley Mischka

Ready to walk the runway, a model cozies up in her first look as final touches are applied to the hair, makeup, and wardrobe.

08 of 15

Badgley Mischka

Work it! A duo of models posed for photographers, showing off their finished looks and printed getups.

09 of 15

Badgley Mischka

As the models lined up and waited for the show to begin, designer James Mischka scanned over each of the looks to ensure everything fell into place.

10 of 15

Badgley Mischka

It's showtime! After a last-minute debate over whether or not to add glasses to the this model's sleek ensemble, she eventually walks the runway sans sunnies, which ended up paired with another girl's outfit.

11 of 15

Reem Acra

Reem Acra's FW 2014 lineup called for an updo that didn't overpower the label's elegant designs, so lead hairstylist Didier Malige-equipped with Rene Furterer products-opted for a low ponytail with a glassy sheen. "It's all about a return to luxury," he says. "For the couture ponytail, it is extensions and the right mix of styling products that give the finished look structure and shape."

12 of 15

Reem Acra

Makeup artist extraordinaire Pat McGrath opted for a clean, flawless finish, which served as the canvas for the elegant cat-eye and tawny nude lip.

13 of 15

Reem Acra

While the label's red carpet gowns fall outside of our budget, the makeup is much easier on the wallet-CoverGirl's Ink It Perfect Point Eye Liner as well as the Bombshell Intensity Liquid Liner ($6 and $7; target.com), were key in creating the look, and are priced under $10 to boot.

14 of 15

Reem Acra

"To help set the wave, I slip in hair pins, two at a time, criss-crossing each pair," says Malige. A spritz of Rene Furterer's Glossing Spray ($23; beauty.com) added to the wet look, then Malige gathered hair at the nape of the neck to form the low ponytail. He looped an elastic cord around the base of the style four times to anchor the look. "Some models will have two outfits, so the hair needs to be very sturdy to stay put through the wardrobe changes."

15 of 15

Reem Acra

Talk about 360 degrees of fabulous! Reem Acra's gorgeous designs look just as good from behind as they do up front-and the same can be said for the sleek ponytail.