Tom Ford Is Just Like You, and Thinks Rihanna’s Nails Are F***ing Fabulous
Nail artist Mei Kawajiri, who has been shaking up the runways for several seasons, reveals the inspiration for the amazing manicure at Tom Ford’s fashion show.
Tom Ford‘s triumphant return to the New York Fashion Week calendar was marked by sparkly mini dresses, leather separates, a star-studded front row, and Kendall Jenner’s faux pixie, but the unsung hero of the night was a glitter and rose gold manicure.
Backstage before the fashion show, nail artist Mei Kawajiri, who has been shaking up the runways for several seasons (think: Balenciaga’s talon nails), pointed out that the inspiration for the look came from Mr. Ford himself. “Tom loves Rihanna’s nails,” she added.
And while Rihanna was unquestionably a major source of inspiration for the designer, so was Kawajiri herself. Ford discovered the nail artist’s work through the hit TV show Claws, which follows the foibles of the women who work at a next-level nail salon. Kawajiri is the manicurist behind the outrageous designs. “I did the nail art. It’s very funny,” she said.
Courtesy of Mei Kawajiri.
To get the look, Kawajiri blended the tips into the models’ own nails, which received a new-age French manicure. “We tried to make length and shape look as natural as possible,” she said. Kawajiri mixed clear polish with pink and gold glitter for the base, before airbrushing the tips with black polish. “It’s very ’90s, you know? I didn’t use an airbrush machine for a long time, but it’s more precise. It gives it a lighter look than a traditional French manicure.”
For a scent that’s as extra as these decadent nails, there’s always Tom Ford Fucking Fabulous ($804, tomford.com), the designer’s bold, sexy new scent that casually dropped last night when the first model hit the runway. Now that’s fucking fabulous.
Courtesy of Mei Kawajiri.
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Kim Kardashian attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Cindy Crawford attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Ansel Elgort attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Liberty Ross and Jimmy Iovine attend the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Virgil Abloh attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Julianne Moore attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Sistine Stallone attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Kim Kardashian attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Julia Garner attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Doutzen Kroes attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Russell Westbrook attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Ansel Elgort and Sistine Stallone attend the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Ciara and Kim Kardashian attend the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Zoey Deutch attends the Tiffany & Co fragrance launch during New York Fashion Week.
Julia Nobis attends the Tiffany & Co fragrance launch during New York Fashion Week.
Riley Keough and Ben Smith-Petersen attend the Tiffany & Co fragrance launch during New York Fashion Week.
The scene at the Tiffany & Co fragrance launch during New York Fashion Week.
Liev Schrieber attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Suki Waterhouse attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Ciara attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Chaka Khan attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Russell Westbrook and Ansel Elgort attend the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Rande Gerber and Cindy Crawford attend the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Cameron Dallas attends the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
The scene at the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
The scene at the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
The scene at the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
The scene at the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
The scene at the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
The scene at the Tom Ford Spring 2018 runway show as part of New York Fashion Week.
Watch: Getting Ready for Tom Ford’s New York Show with Cindy Crawford
