CND, the pioneers of nail artistry at Fashion Week, created 25 show-stopping nail designs for the Libertine Spring/Summer 2017 runway tonight at Skylight Clarkson Sq. Taking notes from Libertine’s rebellious punk rock collection, the nails were an effortlessly cool throwback to the 1970s and ‘80s with unexpected Victorian and new wave elements. This high-octane collaboration once again brought a fresh, bold energy to the scene through modern reinvention of the classics.
“Libertine’s Johnson Hartig has become a true extension of the CND family,” said CND Co-founder and Style Director Jan Arnold. “In this fifth season creating together, it was no surprise that Johnson’s artistic vision was perfectly in line with our CND trend story. Spring 2017 channels a retro futurist spirit, paying homage to iconic style with an edgy twist, and that’s exactly what we sent down the runway tonight.”
Exhibiting unprecedented precision, the renowned artists of the CND Design Lab Team put in nearly 300 combined hours to produce the handcrafted nail looks. Featuring a vibrant range of Spring 2017 CND™ SHELLAC™ Brand 14+ Day Nail Color and VINYLUX™ Weekly Polish shades, the palette was grounded with accents of black and white. Hand-painted portraits of Victorian royalty, American figureheads and Johnson himself were distorted with piercings and pops of color for a subversive effect.
Some models donned sets embellished with seed beads, graphic 3D shingles, neon studs, tassels and golden chains, while others rocked nails with the words “Chic as Hell,” mirroring a pair of hot pink leggings from the Libertine collection. Among the more unconventional looks were flocked nails reminiscent of oversized fuzzy slippers. Even Johnson’s beloved rescue dogs, Pocket and Terence, made an appearance on the runway, masterfully sculpted with RETENTION+™ Liquid & Powder. Each model wore a split-style mani featuring a completely different look on each hand for a clash of high-contrast texture and color. Think “tough and fluff” or “smooth and rough.”
“I’ve never seen a designer get as excited as Johnson does when we bring our nail concepts to the table,” said CND Design Lab artist Heather Davis, who led the charge on the Libertine show. “He makes a b-line for the nails, puts one on every finger and models them against the clothing himself to select the final looks. It’s absolutely magical.”
“These nails are a punk rock collage like you’ve never seen before,” said Libertine designer Johnson Hartig. “The inventiveness of the CND team blows my mind every single season. They continue to push the boundaries of artistry and I’m so grateful for this partnership.”
For a behind-the-scenes look at CND’s Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2017 designer collaborations and nail designs, check out the CND Fashion Week Digital Headquarters at https://cnd.com/fwdigitalhq/.
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