Aleph is back behind the scenes at this year’s New Zealand Fashion Week. We speak to founder Emma Peters about the energy and inspiration NZFW provides.
New Zealand beauty brand Aleph has led the way in clean makeup formulation in recent times, but its founder Emma Peters has been setting beauty trends for much longer.
Peters, a professional makeup artist with three decades of industry experience, has worked at countless fashion weeks.
She will be back on the tools leading teams to create beautiful, on-trend makeup looks for a number of shows at NZFW next week.
We asked Emma to share some tips on what trends will influence the runway looks and what to reach for if you’re attending the fashion shows.
What trends are likely to see at NZ Fashion Week?
There is a lovely tension in makeup at the moment between restraint and self-expression. Skin is still very much the hero: beautifully prepared, dimensional and radiant, with natural texture visible rather than covered by a heavy layer of foundation.
At the same time, we are seeing more deliberate moments of colour and personality. That might be a diffused berry cheek, a lived-in smoky eye, a flash of metallic light or a beautifully saturated lip. Often there is one strong idea, while the rest of the face remains pared back. I think we’ll see that translated in a distinctly New Zealand way… polished, but not overworked.
The most modern makeup does not feel like a trend has simply been placed onto someone’s face. It feels considered, individual and connected to the clothes, the casting and the wider creative story.
What are some of the challenges of working backstage?
Backstage is controlled chaos. You are working to a very precise creative brief, often with limited time, changing light and models arriving from hair, fittings or another show at different stages of readiness. Consistency is one of the greatest challenges. The makeup needs to feel cohesive across the entire cast, but it cannot be approached as though every face is identical. You have to understand the structure, skin tone and personality of the person in front of you, then interpret the look in a way that still preserves the designer’s overall vision.
There is also a great deal of problem-solving. Skin may behave differently under heat and lights. Timing can change. A garment, hairstyle or casting decision may shift the balance of the makeup at the last moment. You need to remain calm, flexible and very clear in your communication, because one small delay can affect the whole team.
Hygiene and organisation are also non-negotiable. Every movement has to be purposeful. The pressure is real, but experience teaches you how to hold the calm in the middle of it.
What do you love about it?
I love the collective energy. A runway show brings together so many highly skilled people, designers, stylists, hair and makeup teams, producers, dressers and models…and for a brief moment everyone is working towards one very clear creative expression.
There is always a point just before the models walk when the clothes, hair, makeup, music and lighting suddenly become one complete story. That transformation is still incredibly exciting to me after more than 30 years as a makeup artist.
One very special recent moment was working on Rory William Docherty’s London Fashion Week debut. Pulling together a makeup team in the UK and then seeing such a beautiful, thoughtful show come together on an international stage was incredibly rewarding. There was also something deeply meaningful about seeing New Zealand creatives producing such exceptional artistic work overseas. It felt like a real celebration of the talent and perspective that comes from Aotearoa. Rory’s show, The Tides, made its London Fashion Week debut in September 2025.
Another favourite was Kate Sylvester’s final New Zealand Fashion Week show in 2023. We created a new lip shade especially for Kate and the show, which became Cheek/Lip Tint Gloria. It is a beautiful, energetic orangey red—very strong, very confident and incredibly powerful on the runway. There was something particularly poignant about creating that colour for what ultimately became Kate’s final Fashion Week show. It captured the strength and spirit of the collection, but it also became part of a much bigger moment in New Zealand fashion history.
What opportunities does NZFW provide in terms of future product development?
Backstage is an extraordinary testing environment. You see immediately how colour, texture and finish behave under pressure, under runway lighting and across a wide variety of skin tones and
textures.
I am always observing. Does the makeup feel intuitive to apply? Can the intensity be changed quickly? Does a particular finish add to the designer’s story? Can it be adapted without losing its original intention? Those questions are very much part of my thinking as both a makeup artist and a formulator.
We also often use Fashion Week as an opportunity to test new shades. The creative briefs we receive from designers and creative directors can be incredibly inspiring because they ask us to think about colour, texture and emotion in ways we may not have explored before.
This year, we have a handful of unseen Aleph shades (and new products) making their debut at Fashion Week. It is such a valuable opportunity to see how they translate under runway lighting, across different complexions and as part of a complete creative story before they are introduced more widely.
Backstage experience continually informs development, but not always in an obvious way. It may lead to a new shade, a different balance of undertones, a more adaptable texture or simply a new way of thinking about how colour can be worn. Fashion Week gives us permission to experiment, and that experimentation can become the beginning of something much more enduring.
What key products are essential for those wanting a Fashion Week-ready look?
My five from Aleph’s range would be:
1. Serum/Primer
The success of any makeup begins with the condition of the skin. I press two or three drops into the face to nourish the skin and create a smooth, velvety canvas. It can also be mixed with Concealer/Foundation to adjust the coverage and create a fresh, sheer veil.
A concentrated, buildable complexion product is invaluable. Apply it only where it is needed, then buff a very small amount over the rest of the face. The goal is not to erase the skin; it is to make it look like the very best version of itself. Less product, carefully layered, will generally look better and last longer.
Radiance Balm Moon gives a beautiful champagne light, Radiance Balm Sun adds warmth and a bronzed glow, and Radiance Balm Star brings an orchid-pink vitality. They can be used on the high points of the face or mixed with complexion and colour products, so the luminosity appears to come from within rather than sitting on top of the skin.
A genuinely multifunctional colour product is perfect for Fashion Week. One shade can be worn across the cheeks, lips and eyes, then sheered out, intensified or mixed into a bespoke colour.
A natural flush always makes the face look more alive. For blueness beneath the eyes, I use a very tiny amount of Cheek/Lip Tint Ascend with Concealer/Foundation to create a peachy correcting hue.
This is one of the great backstage multitaskers. It can prime the eyelids, help lip colour adhere, reduce shine and set the complexion for greater longevity. Rather than sweeping it across the skin, I press and roll it on so the makeup underneath is not disturbed.
I would also sneak Lift/Lengthen Mascara into the bag. Beautifully defined lashes give the eyes structure immediately and help the whole face feel finished.
How do you approach your own makeup on the day so it looks good and lasts?
My own makeup needs to be quick, comfortable and dependable. I do not want to be thinking about it once the day begins.
I keep the complexion light and focus on evening out only what needs attention. Thin layers are always the secret to longevity. Too much product tends to move, whereas a small amount, properly blended and allowed to settle, becomes much more integrated with the skin.
I make sure the centre of the face is softly set, while keeping some natural dimension on the cheeks. I define the lashes, add enough colour to stop the face looking tired and choose a lip that can be refreshed easily without a mirror.
I also think practically about where I will be throughout the day. Backstage can become warm, so I avoid anything too heavy. I keep a very small edit of touch-up products with me rather than carrying an entire kit.
The aim is to feel polished and like myself, but never precious about it. Once the day starts, my attention needs to be on the team, the models and the work in front of me.
