Cucculelli Shaheen delivers an exquisite collection with a final dress that takes 2,520 hours to make

Cucculelli Shaheen presented collection fifteen titled ‘Les Radiants’ at Webster Hall in Manhattan’s East Village during New York Fashion Week.

Inspired by chaos and classicism, atomic poets, beautiful dynamite, Gotham surrealism and the designers’ eternal muse, New York City, founders Anthony Cucculelli and Anna Rose Shaheen delivered a alien collection fit for a modern bada**.

In three words, the husband-and-wife design duo described their brand to DailyMail.com as “craftsmanship, intimacy and self-expression.”

Webster Hall’s Grand Ballroom provided the perfect backdrop for Cucculelli Shaheen’s rock and roll couture designs.

“We’ve always been inspired by New York City and we pass Webster Hall every day on our walks around the city,” say Anthony and Anna Rose. It’s an iconic New York venue with a modern feel, and the history of music in space is incredible.”

Musician Breanna Barbara performed live on stage as models stormed the catwalk in the label’s Fall 2023 creations.

‘Caravaggio, Christopher Bucklow and the celestial sun were all key points of interest for us as we worked on the collection.

“We were inspired by high contrasts of dark and light – very rich blacks with champagne, gold, silver and red (our favorite color of the season),” the design duo said.

Although the influence of realism painter Caravaggio and visual artist Christopher Bucklow was not entirely visible to the average viewer, the radiant sun shone brightly on a number of garments.

And it was the celestial pieces that really showcased the brand’s ability and creativity to think outside the box, and their unparalleled technical prowess.

“Our last sun-print dress lasted the longest at 2,520 hours,” the designers revealed.

Each radiant piece of sun has more than three shades of gold and champagne that give a glowing effect, and the background fill also has a subtle degradé effect to evoke sunbeams.

“These degradés must be carefully placed by the artisans to give a smooth and bright effect.”

In addition to embroidered dresses, there was no shortage of opulence throughout the collection, with lavish embroidery adorning even the most effortless of silhouettes.

“We love the fitted pieces, especially the long coat with polka dots, the black lace set, the sunsuit and the dresses with hip cutouts. This season is all about the hips,” said Anthony and Anna Rose.

Hip exposure was present in the form of dropped-waist corsets, low-rise pants, skirts, and cut-out details that were accentuated.

Season 12 winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Jaida Essence Hall.

American artiste and former contestant on Season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Bosco, also appeared on the catwalk.

To round out the edgy aesthetic, the makeup look was created by lead artist Nick Lujan, Director of Artistry and Education at Kevyn Aucoin.

The look is inspired by “the radiant rays of light as the sun goes down, perfectly placed Glass Glow reflects light and exudes a warm feeling,” says Nick.

“There’s a timeless, edgy sharp winged liner that creates an understated fierceness and a smooth swagger of confidence.”

Kevyn Aucoin products were used on the models and gifted to show guests.

“This look is all about beautiful, glowing skin. We’re not trying to cover anything up and really want the models’ features to shine through the makeup.”

To achieve this, products such as Stripped Nude Skin Tint and Sensual Skin Enhancer were used on clean skin.

Eyes were enhanced with the Contour Eyeshadow Palette and Precision Liquid Liner, while eyebrows were groomed with the True Feather Marker Gel Duo to create soft, feathered and natural brows.

The perfect nude pout was created with Unforgettable Lipstick in Suspicious.

“This shade is magical, it will suit everyone’s skin tones and lip colors and it adds a beautiful glow to the lips,” said Nick.