Novel’s Fashion Week Asia Beauty Looks Were All About Restraint
Filipino-British designer Prince Padilla’s Novel took center stage at Fashion Week Asia 2026, with barely-there makeup and pared-back hair keeping the focus on his experimental designs.
At Fashion Week Asia 2026, held at Palacio de Memoria, designer Prince Padilla isn’t particularly interested in the glitz and glam that comes with a runway spectacle. Through Novel, his Manila-based label, the British-Filipino explored the space between his formative years, art, and clothing, as he treats the body as a canvas for unconventional silhouettes, unexpected constructions, and a little disruption—all of which remain true to his ethos.
“The collection is essentially about the organic formative years of men and women—at least how I experienced it, in my childhood,” Padilla tells Allure Philippines.
With Filipino-inspired textures, patterns, looks, headpieces, and striking colors of a table sheet, Padilla emphasized this experimentation and deconstruction on the runway, a practice that resists the familiar in favor of something more personal—and, at times, difficult to pin down.
Across the beauty looks—created by lead makeup artist Gery Penaso under MAC Cosmetics and hairstylists from Cream Silk—the common thread is control, without excessive fuss. It’s a beautiful direction that complements Padilla’s interest in construction. Skin was kept raw with just a subtle sheen, anchored by strong, structured brows and swept-back hair that allowed the intricate details to instead command the room’s attention. “We tried to keep [the beauty direction] stripped back, organic, not a lot—just because we really wanted the clothes to be the focal point. We didn’t want anything too theatrical. Nothing too complicated, nothing too glamorous—just a very basic, clean look,” Padilla concludes.
Strong brows
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
The emphasis on strong brows—whether arched, dark, or bushy—complemented the collection’s unconventional silhouettes. It gave the face definition and presence against the otherwise toned-down makeup looks that Padilla insisted on to give focus on the collection’s silhouettes.
Wet, swept-back hair
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
The hair was equal parts slick and strange, with wet, swept-back hair being the common theme across the Novel man. Some models had it gelled away from the face, others had it plastered forward in a flat glossy fringe, similar to that of a boyhood haircut reborn as a runway look.
Barely-there makeup
Sometimes, less really is more. With minimal makeup, the focus was on bare skin, natural contours, and a healthy-looking sheen. By allowing the models’ natural complexions to shine through and giving the features soft definition, the beauty looks took on an effortless quality, true to Padilla’s vision
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Frequently Asked Questions
Makeup artist Gery Penaso led the beauty direction for MAC Cosmetics, with hairstylists from Cream Silk handling hair. Together they built a minimal, lived-in look of sheer skin, top buns, and nude-rose lips.
Female models wore voluminous high buns or smooth, loose waves suited to their face shapes. The signature look was a sculptural topknot, pulled taut at the roots for a sharp counterpoint to the fluid silhouettes.
The makeup stayed minimal and barely-there, letting skin’s natural texture and undertones show through a sheer, radiant base. Soft neutral eye washes and naturally groomed brows added gentle definition without heavy coverage.
Models wore glossy nude-rose lips—a soft wash of color with a subtle sheen that enhanced their natural lip tone rather than masking it. The dewy finish matched the show’s lived-in beauty direction.
The beauty direction mirrored Hong’s everyday approach to clothing: barely-there complexions, subtle color, and natural hair texture over heavy styling. The goal was to let the garments, not the beauty look, take center stage.
