At the latest Schiaparelli couture show, black lipstick made a powerful comeback—transforming a once-subculture symbol into a high-fashion statement.
During Schiaparelli’s recent couture presentation in Paris, the spotlight wasn’t just on the brand’s signature surreal gowns and sculptural details—it was firmly on the lips. Nearly every model hit the runway wearing a glossy, jet-black lipstick, marking a bold departure from the house’s usual understated beauty looks.
This striking choice transformed black lipstick from an occasional edgy accent into the defining feature of the show. While a few models sported classic red lips, the overwhelming majority embraced the dark, high-shine shade, adding a moody intensity to the collection’s dramatic silhouettes.
Makeup legend Dame Pat McGrath masterminded the look, using her PermaGel Eye Pencil in Xtreme Black to achieve the deep, lacquered finish. The result was a perfect marriage of gothic glamour and couture sophistication—bold, polished, and unforgettable.
Black lipstick has long lived at the fringes of mainstream fashion. Rooted in the goth and punk movements of the 1980s, it has appeared sporadically on runways—from Dior to Marc Jacobs—but rarely as a central element. Often seen as too intense or unconventional, the look has historically been a marker of rebellion and difference.
That context makes its current prominence all the more meaningful.
For many wearers, black lipstick is more than a style choice—it’s an expression of identity, defiance, and self-acceptance. Fashion editor Kelsey Stiegman recalls how, growing up as the only emo kid in a small town, dark makeup and alternative fashion were her way of asserting individuality amidst judgment and misunderstanding. What once felt isolating has, over time, become a source of empowerment.
As Stiegman’s career and life evolved, so did her relationship with the black lip—from a teenage act of rebellion to a confident statement of selfhood, aided by products like Kylie Jenner’s “Dead of Knight” lip kit and KVD Beauty’s Everlasting Hyperlight Liquid Lipstick.
Schiaparelli’s bold embrace of black lipstick on the haute couture stage signals a shift. It’s a validation not only of a beauty trend but of those who have long found meaning and strength in it. In an industry often demanding conformity beneath creativity, this is a rare moment of inclusion and celebration.
Black lipstick is no longer just a fringe look or a symbol of counterculture. It’s couture.
By elevating this once-underground aesthetic, Schiaparelli has opened the door for a broader understanding of beauty—a beauty that is daring, unapologetic, and deeply personal.
Black lipstick is back—and this time, it’s here to stay.
