“Last night was golden,” says Nina Dobrev of spending the evening at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Inside (and under the whale), The Council of Fashion Designers of America annual awards celebrated the industry luminaries that help create “the dream we all live in,” according to this year’s host Anne Hathaway, who spoke of fashion as a creative act paramount to culture and life. And Dobrev’s era-bending “modern glamour” makeup look is a reminder that the same can be said of beauty.
“I took inspiration from the way eye makeup and contour was done in the ’80s,” makeup artist Georgi Sandev tells Vogue of working with Pat McGrath and her team to dream up a “pop of red on the lips, a splash of gold on the eyelids, and a soft color on the cheeks.” It was all leveled up when paired with the gleaming sequined, high-slit Oscar de la Renta strapless gown stylist Kate Young sourced for Dobrev’s look. Rather than jewel tones and pastels, Sandev “wanted to utilize only neutral browns, bronze, and gold colors to make it look contemporary,” he says of creating a more light-catching version of this ultra-caffeinated makeup moment’s latte, coffee, espresso-inspired shades.
Dusting the eyes with Ethereal Bronze and the cheeks with both shades of blush from Pat McGrath Labs MTHRSHIP Bijoux Brilliance Starstruck Splendour Palette created dimension, while a bit of PermaGel Ultra Glide Eye Pencil in Xtreme Black feathered and extended outward with a small brush delivered the depth. Sandev also personalized a candy-apple lip with PermaGel Ultra Glide Lip Pencil in Blood Lust layered with Wild Cherry Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm. It was a final “playful element” designed to celebrate Dobrev’s personality: “Nina is one of the most fun, life-loving, big-hearted, and kind people I’ve met in my career,” Sandev says. “She just so happens to be stunningly beautiful as well!”