The Colors of Africa

Few couture designers in America carry fashion to the heights of glamorous escape the way that Zang Toi does. Mr.Toi, a native of Malaysia, has in the past drawn inspiration from Japanese silhouettes, bright Jamaican colors, and old-school Hollywood. For his Spring 2006 collection, he looks to South Africa. And with the runway show fast approaching, he met recently with hairstylist Eiji, of Madison Avenue’s Eiji Salon, and James Boehmer, of Nars cosmetics, to finalize the hair and makeup.Those elements are designed to complement the colors of the collection, which stays within a disciplined range of neutrals: classic black, warm chocolate, delicate ivory. The artistry and whimsy appear in Mr. Toi’s elaborate embellishments, such as copper and gold-plated beading.All of which gave makeup artist Mr. Boehmer room to evoke Africa in his medium. “Because the palette of the collection really restricts the colors to cream, black, and toffee, we decided to focus on the eyes,” he said. “We’re playing with shadow to create a striking effect, while leaving the skin clean and pretty and warm.”For those dramatic eyes, Mr. Boehmer carefully layers a nearly monochromatic range of shadows from the lid gently up to the brow bone, beginning with a dark bronze called “Savage,” lining the eyes with a glossy copper, “Paper Tiger,” and finishing with a matte golden yellow called “Byance,” which are part of Nars’s new spring line.A warm, brown eyeliner and Nars’s Black Orchid mascara finish the looks and gives the eyes sharpness. “When you’re dealing with formal wear, the obvious thing to do is use a ‘smoky,’ sexy eye,” Mr. Boehmer said. “But I’m sick of that. This is another way of approaching a sultry look and giving more brightness. We wanted some vibrance.”But his vision stems from earth-toned sources, too. “My inspiration has come directly from Massai beading and the way caked clay sets on skin,” Mr. Boehmer said. “It may not sound like the prettiest thing, but there is something beautiful about the way clay makes everything under it seem smooth, and how flecks of mica play with the light.”On the face, concealer is used only where needed to even skin out, and a sheen is applied using Nars Maldives highlighting cream along the cheek bones, bridge of the nose, and ridge of brow. “The lighting of the show is going to be very stark, with a deep black background and models lit only by spots,” Mr. Boehmer said. “So we want the make up to give the faces some softness and texture.”Hair stylist Eiji explained his concept for the show in simple terms. “In the past, I’ve done a lot of big hair and braids. This time, we decided to keep everything soft and shiny, with a much more natural feel,” he said, adding that the final product is equal parts sex appeal and youthful ease, flowing gently over the shoulders in a clean, bright wave.The natural theme runs strong in this collection. Mr. Toi decided on the African theme after a safari and a stay in Johannesburg last spring. For a designer who prides himself on inventiveness, the project posed a challenge.“Africa has been done so many times,” he said. “It’s always animal prints and wild patterns, but that’s not what I wanted. Africa’s such a enormous place and a land of so many great beauties that I decided to draw from a mix of different sources.”His list of inspirations includes: intricate, indigenous beading, wild orchids, wildlife from the bush, and colonial style. True to his vision, on the racks at the Zang Toi atelier in Midtown, there is nary a leopard spot in sight.

The Colors of Africa

The Colors of Africa

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