PB APPROVED: The First Celebrity Stylist Nail Art Collaboration: CliqOnU X Katie Collins “Desert Sun”
A warm September breeze and October crisp air have gently swept through flowing dresses of models, fashion editors, stylists, and celebrities as they traveled the globe to view runway shows in New York City, London, Milan, and Paris this past month. Against the speed of New York and among the illuminated skyline and 5th Avenue street fashion, models’ heeled feet ran from Moschino’s warm sunset-colored presentation of enamel hearts, pinstripes, quilted cartoons, bib collars, and turquoise hair beads in Bryant Park to Altuzurra’s presentation of earth-toned tailoring, textured patterns and crochet overlays. They then traveled in the bright red lacquered buses of London from Harris Reed’s black and white presentation of halos, stripes, and lace in the geometric Serpentine Pavilion to Simone Rocha’s divine presentation of flouncing ruffled hems, deep red florals, and chiffon puff sleeves among the coffee-colored arches of The Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great. Models then finish their travels from Versace’s bright pink, orange, and lime green Italian textiles in Milan to the cafe-lined cobblestoned streets of Paris, walking in classic Chanel slingbacks.
All who participate in Fashion Month become style chameleons as they morph into looks that blend into each show in each city. While clothing often takes center stage on the runway, fashion is from fingertips to toes, so nails become a key part of many looks. With the fast pace and bustle of fashion month, models, editors, stylists, and celebrities need to be able to switch their manicures as quickly as their heels are clicking. CliqonU, Ready to Wear nail brand, creates nails that quite literally Cliq on U. The brand was founded in 2020 by two mothers, Vivian Liu Hyun, fashion buyer, and Jennifer Humphrey, VP of a beauty company. The women came together to fulfill two needs; they wanted beauty on the go as they are both busy mothers, but they did not want to sacrifice runway level style in the process. The women are also enthusiastic about philanthropy so 10% of net sales are dedicated to initiatives that make an impact to organizations such as ZOE International to fight against human trafficking and on top of that, the nails are eco-friendly.
As if two powerful women weren’t enough, Hyun and Humphrey recently met celebrity stylist Katie Collins as the waves surrounding Soho Malibu met the glittering golden sand. The women instantly cliq-ed and decided to create a collaboration piece called “Desert Sun,” which emphasized that “nail art and fashion are intertwined, because the perfect nail completes the look just as hair and make-up do. It’s the combining of all the elements that complete a whole picture.” As a stylist for the likes of Charlize Theron, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Nicole Kidman, and Gwyneth Paltrow, among many others, Katie Collins is more than aware of the need for nails that are infinitely stylish, but easy to put on. While the collaborative nail set, like all CliqonU nail sets, was conceptualized for a runway-ready look, the design itself is representative of a stillness and peace that cannot be felt on a runway.
The trio were entranced by the biblical beauty of the Joshua Tree, which has served as visual inspiration for Collins since childhood. Visions of red tinged sunsets that seep into the blue desert sky and sweep over Joshua Tree’s green landscape color the collection a deep desert-clay burgundy. The burgundy color has also been one that Collins has attempted to perfect during an editorial shoot with a client. The nail set features a golden design reminiscent of the sun rays that reach out to touch the Joshua Tree’s extended branches in a warmth that can only be felt there. Another nail is dotted with gold in a pattern that is reflective of the endless perspective view in Joshua Tree’s flat lands. The trio sought to design a set that would “create a feeling,” and we can feel Joshua Tree’s tranquility and breathtaking air in this nail art piece.
I wore the “Desert Sun” nails for about a week after a long time of not having my nails done. I love having my nails done because I feel that they are needed to complete any look, and they personally make me feel put together. I have been wary about trying press-on nails because I always thought that the glue would ruin my natural nail or that they would be hard to put on. The nail set includes multiple sizes so they quite literally cliq-ed right into place and took no longer than 10 minutes to apply. I am not a fan of long press-on nails, so the length was absolutely perfect.
The best thing about the nails is that they feel completely natural once applied. This specific set has a matte finish, which feels velvety and soft. I applied the nails on the first day of autumn and the deep burgundy complements this season perfectly (which made my Fall-loving heart very happy). After a week, I evaluated the removal process (reluctantly, because the nails would have stayed on for longer). I simply soaked them in nail polish remover and they lifted right off. CliqOnU is certainly PB Approved, and we recommend our readers to try them out. “Desert Sun” is currently our favorite set, but there are assorted options on their website that we are sure you’ll cliq with!
Where to Buy: https://fave.co/3ndIYAx
Article by Tessa Swantek, Contributing Editor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets: Alexa Dyer, Graphic Design Intern, PhotoBook Magazine
CREW CREDITS FOR IMAGERY:
Nails, CliqOnU @cliqonu or cliqonu.com
Photographer, Mark Humphrey @xperiencefactory
Model, Jessica Danielle @unclejessiie
Nail collaboration & Stylist, Katie Collins @katiecollinsstyle
MUA & Hair, Lupe Moreno @lupmoreno_mua
