At Duc Studio’s Fashion Week Asia 2026 show at Palacio de Memoria, beauty veered into darker territory.
Established in 2019 in Saigon, Vietnam by designer Nguyen Minh Duc, the brand is shaped by its mantra, “Keep fashion weird,” a commitment to put individuality and self-expression at the center of its collection. The label challenges conventions through unique, deconstructed tailoring, experimental silhouettes, and modern interpretations on traditional Vietnamese garments.
The beauty looks, created under lead makeup artist Gery Penaso with MAC Cosmetics, carry that same level of personality—intense and dramatic. A gothic mood arises, further reinforcing Duc Studio’s philosophy, which steps away from conventional glamor and into a new design language. Glossy skin became the canvas for heavily smoked-out gunmetal eyes, with dark shadows creating dimension and mystery. Meanwhile, taupe, beige, and caramel tones added dimension and color to the cheeks.
Scarves and mesh from the collection created an avant-garde snood that covered the hair. The hair, created with Cream Silk, looked undone beneath the hair wraps. Leaf accents inserted in the hair added organic shape and movement to the bold and graphic beauty look.
Together, the beauty looks captured Duc Studio’s appetite for the strange and otherworldly. From dewy skin to scarlet tones and accessorized hair, they brought a vision that was both gothic and elevated. The mix of shadows, shapes, and textures showed how beauty can be found in places we don’t often think to look.
Radiant skin
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Radiant skin became the canvas for the gothic beauty looks. A smooth base created a complexion that mimicked a smooth finish, creating a distinct base against the dark, moody elements of the eye look and the bright tones of the blush. The result? A contrast between polished skin and smoky shadows—a look with an otherworldly quality.
Gunmetal smokey eyes
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Matte, dramatic smokey eyes get a metallic twist, creating a gunmetal eye look. The mix of greige, silver shimmers, and diamond highlights add dimension to the eyes and under the brow bone, while also catching the light at every turn. Achieve a reflective finish by pressing silver shimmers against smokey dark tones. The result is a high-impact eye look you can’t turn away from.
Scarf-wrapped hair
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Undone hair, wrapped by scarves and mesh, reflect Duc Studio’s experimental language. They introduced layers and textures to the hair. Sheer mesh lent an air of mystery, almost completely concealing the voluminous, slightly undone coiffure underneath. Leaf branches inserted in the hair also offered a sculptural effect, accentuating the mysterious look.
Barely-there brows
Grant Babia
Barely-there brows can allow more eyelid space for dramatic eyeshadow to take center stage, and razor-thin brows, drawn into precise arches make a striking statement. The clean lines from the arches framed the face and also allowed colors, textures and finishes to stand out. It’s less of a ‘90s throwback and more of a futuristic graphic silhouette you might take inspiration from.
Art direction by Mikiyo Ricamora. Photography by Grant Babia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Press silver shimmers against smoky dark eyeshadow tones for a reflective, metallic finish. Layer greige shades with diamond highlights under the brow bone to add dimension and catch the light.
Barely-there brows free up eyelid space so dramatic eyeshadow can take center stage. Razor-thin arches frame the face with clean lines, letting colors and textures stand out without visual competition.
A smooth, polished complexion creates contrast against dark, smoky eyes and bold blush tones. The clean base keeps the look grounded while the moodier elements carry the drama.
Hair was left undone, then wrapped in sheer mesh and scarves to conceal a voluminous, slightly undone coiffure. Leaf branch accents added a sculptural, mysterious finishing touch.
Lead makeup artist Gery Penaso created the looks using MAC Cosmetics, with hairstyling by Cream Silk. Together they produced the gothic, smoky-eyed beauty direction seen throughout the show.
