blah to TADA!: Make-up Please!

Putting together a magazine is truly a collaborative effort.

That's one of the lessons we learn from Grace Coddington's book, "Grace: A Memoir". An editor's vision comes to life with the help of photographers, designers, stylists, models and all of their assistants.

Grace Coddington's sketches of her favorite hairdressers and
make-up artists, page 298, "Grace:A Memoir"

Together with these important people are hairdressers and make-up artists.

In her book, Grace shines the spotlight on them: "And I learned early on, as far back as the seventies in London, when everything was based on silver-screen glamour, that a great hairdresser or makeup artist can make a picture better, even when it looks as though they have done very little."

via Dandy Bohemian
Make-up artist Pat McGrath, and Grace Coddington
with hair sytlist Guido Palau

One of her favorite make-up artists is Pat McGrath because of her topnotch talent, thorough organization and cheerful personality.

I love this anecdote about Pat that she writes in the book: "Pat did an amazing job. Even Helmut {Newton, photographer} was impressed. Nadja {Auermann, model} had never looked more dewy and luminous. From then on, I worked with her whenever I could. Soon afterward she began collaborating with Steven Meisel {photographer}. It was love at first sight, and they ended up working together virtually everyday. Pat is very loyal to him. Once, in the middle of the international collections (she does practically every single show), she flew from London to New York to work with Steven and me for the day, then flew back the same night, the instant she finished. She would do anything for him. If he cant get her for the make-up, I know he often doesn't take the job."

Isn't that TADA!?

Here are samples of Pat's work: