Revlon Will Make Its Fashion Week Comeback With Christian Siriano, Thanks to a Viral Social Media Post
Lest one question the power of social media as a potential force for good, consider this time last week, Christian Siriano was down a makeup sponsor for his Sept. 6 New York Fashion Week show, while Revlon — presently in the midst of its post-Perelman family reboot — hadn’t seen the runways since 2014.
But thanks to a viral video uploaded on Aug. 19 to both TikTok and Instagram in which the designer called for makeup artists who could work his spring 2025 show, both have seen an about-turn in circumstance.
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“In the last 16 years of my career, I’ve never not had a makeup sponsor for fashion week. We’ve had multiple sponsors pull out [this season], so that’s been kind of fun and wild,” Siriano said in the video, which has garnered more than 1 million views across platforms since its posting. He went on to call for “20 talented, incredible makeup artists to come do the show backstage with me. I don’t care where you come from, or if you’re not a trained makeup artist — if this is what you love to do, that’s what I’m looking for.”
In addition to the 4,000-plus makeup artists that submitted their work for consideration, Revlon, too, answered the call.
“Christian’s heartfelt message, and his approach of sort of flipping fashion week upside-down resonated with Revlon; we are flipping our brand upside-down as well,” said Kelly Solomon, Revlon’s chief digital marketing officer.
Indeed, since exiting Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year, the makeup brand — which ranks as the 23rd-largest beauty company globally — has been investing in a “digital-first marketing strategy,” said Solomon. Recruiting TikTok star Nailea Devora last year as a global brand ambassador has been part of that strategy, as is teaming up with Siriano now.
“A ton has happened in the 10 years since Revlon has been at fashion week on the runway…we wanted to return at the exact right moment, with the exact right partner,” she continued. During the brand’s last NYFW in 2014, Revlon sponsored looks at Oscar de la Renta, Jonathan Simkhai, Rag & Bone and Marchesa.
Celebrity makeup artist Vincent Oquendo, a longtime friend of both Siriano and Revlon, has been enlisted as the lead makeup artist of the show and another 20 artists will be selected from the pool of those who responded to Siriano’s call.
Revlon wasn’t the only brand to throw its hat in the ring: “Euphoria” makeup artist and Half Magic founder Donni Davy volunteered her services in the comments section of Siriano’s Instagram post, as did New York-based indie makeup line Silk Naturals.
“When I posted that video, I didn’t tell anybody — I was just in this place of wanting the process to be different, wanting to work with creative people and feeling like that was the best way to get as many people as possible interested,” said Siriano, adding, “of course fashion week is a business — everyone knows that — but it feels like sometimes you then lose the fantasy and the drama and the dreamlike quality of what fashion week used to be — and that’s all why I still do fashion shows.”
The show will mark a “return to glamour,” hinted the designer, who will use products including Revlon’s Illuminance Gel Serum Blush and Super Lustrous The Gloss, among others, for the show. “I don’t make jeans and a T-shirt, you know? It is about being elegant and beautiful, whether you are going to the office or to an event — I just want people to live their lives that way.”
Launch Gallery: Christian Siriano Resort 2025 Ready-to-Wear Collection
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