Nailin' the Runway
#inspo: Louis Vuitton
Black and gold aren’t necessarily the most “spring-y” of colours but then again, when has Nicolas Ghesquière ever played by the rules? A collection characterised by impeccable tailoring and an insouciant grungy-glam vibe, Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2017 provided the perfect inspiration for my manicure at Manicurious. The brief given to my nail technician Shi Wei? Simple, chic, and absolutely no 3D appliqués please. All my initial fears and preconceptions of gaudy nail art were unfounded when I saw the final result: discreet gold detailing and a finely-drawn lattice design paired with sleek, matte black nails – a fitting juxtaposition of tough and delicate with nary a diamanté in sight.
Head to: Manicurious, 41 Beach Road, Singapore 189680, tel: 6333 9096
#inspo: Chanel
Among the many techy motifs at the Chanel Spring 2017 show were criss-crossing cables that echoed the weave of Chanel’s signature boucle tweed. The geometric pattern of Look 55 was the specific jumping-off point for my gel manicure at Hands + Feet Studio, a spacious nail spa nestled in Siglap Drive. After a discussion on how to bridge the runway-nailbed divide, my lovely technician Ting and I decided on a simple, yet effective grid nail design in four shades (restraint is always a good quality in a nail artist, don’t you think?). The end result was striking, polished, and definitely in keeping with the digital vibes of Chanel’s collection.
Head to: Hands + Feet Studio, 44 Siglap Drive, Singapore 456169, tel: 6448 7187
#inspo: Saint Laurent
A little bit dangerous, a little bit rock ‘n’ roll: what’s not to love about the new and improved Saint Laurent girl? She has a penchant for gilded metallics – something I was looking to incorporate in my manicure at my usual haunt, Autumn Nail Spa in Far East Plaza. As it turns out, chrome nails were the way to go. One hour, 10 shiny press-on nails, and a relaxing cup of tea later, I pretty much had my finger on the pulse of Anthony Vaccarello’s YSL siren.
Head to: Autumn Nail Spa, #05-21/28 Far East Plaza, Singapore 228213, tel: 6735 7989
#inspo: Dior
Despite the themes of female empowerment and emancipation, there was something decidedly girly and uber feminine in Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut collection for Dior. Inspired by the diaphanous tulle skirts in barely-there shades of blush pink and lavender, I headed to The Nail Symphony, a charming and cosy space located on Amoy Street. My classic gel manicure turned out a little more twee than I had envisioned, but pretty nonetheless with gold stars and hand-drawn vine designs to echo the collection’s constellation and floral embroidery. Pretty in pink indeed.
Head to: The Nail Symphony, 50 Amoy Street, Singapore 069876, tel: 6224 0051
