This season I was able to go backstage, and watch the preparations, for the Cynthia Rowley Spring/Summer 2011 collection fashion show.

The makeup team was lead by Val Garland, for MAC Cosmetics. After previewing the collection, Val knew exactly what she wanted the look to be - "Very London - Carnaby St, Mary Quant & Twiggy". To get this look, she built up the lower lashes with "about 20 coats of mascara" (*may be a bit exaggerated - LOL!). In between layers, she thickened them up by putting translucent powder on the lashes & then coated them again. For the lips, they pressed the color in the lips to make it look like "she had just been snogging after a night out".

The hair team was lead by Bok-hee, for Antonio Prieto Salon. Bok-hee worked with Aura Friedman, for Wella, to use custom extensions in the model's hair, before twisting it up and clipping it in place with large colorful metallic clips. Bok-hee talked about the best way to make extensions look more natural is to put a layer of the natural hair over the top, so that it looks more blended. Ms. Rowley was very hands on for the models' looks, coming in just before the show to work with Bok-hee for the final look.

Ms. Rowley wanted to make sure that the models' hair was just right for the show, so she stepped up and adjusted the models' hair herself.

And after she had the look just so, Ms. Rowley took a moment to speak about what the concept of her Spring/Summer 2011 collection meant & how she made it work.