While many celebrities gave a surprise appearance as models during NYFW—Noah Lyles at Willy Chavarria, NLE Choppa at Off-White, and Offset at Luar—the star-studded runways weren’t the only show in for a double-take. Front rows at our favorite shows, we saw beauty moments from A-list guests who arrived in everything from “Edna Mode” bobs, to clumped lashes and sculpted blush.
At Alaïa’s Spring 2025 show, attendees held their breath for Rihanna, who donned glitter eyeshadow (think: Fenty Beauty’s Snap Shadows Palette), dark liner and a brown lip. In the same room, a sat Naomi Campbell turned heads with a banging black bob which rested above oversized shades. Lil’ Kim’s Christian Siriano moment saw her in signature brows and wet-finished updo.
Meanwhile, Kerry Washington and Mary J. Blige locked arms at the Michael Kors show, both pairing a rather neutral lip with dark eye makeup (Blige added shadow to smoke out the look). Taraji P. Henson took her new orange pixie for a spin at Jonathan Simkhai’s show. This time, she pushed it all back to give her powdered blush and neutral bronze lip attention. To close out the week, rapper Doechii had a number of beauty looks, but her bouffant wig and covered brows at Luar took the cake.
Below, take a look at our favorite front row celebrity beauty looks that we spotted during NYFW this season.
Rihanna at Alaïa
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 06: Rihanna attends the Alaia fashion show during New York Fashion Week: The Shows at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on September 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)
Naomi Campbell at Alaïa
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 06: Naomi Campbell attends the Alaia fashion show during New York Fashion Week: The Shows at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on September 06, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)
Lil’ Kim at Christian Siriano
Lil’ Kim at Christian Siriano RTW Spring 2025 as part of New York Ready to Wear Fashion Week held at the Pierre Hotel on September 6, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)
Ciara at Willy Chavarria
Ciara at Willy Chavarria RTW Spring 2025 as part of New York Ready to Wear Fashion Week on September 6, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)
Tracee Ellis Ross at Willy Chavarria
Tracee Ellis Ross at Willy Chavarria RTW Spring 2025 as part of New York Ready to Wear Fashion Week on September 6, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)
Doechii at Luar
Doechii at Luar RTW Spring 2025 as part of New York Ready to Wear Fashion Week held at Rockefeller Plaza on September 10, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)
Victoria Monét at Off-White
Victoria Monét at Off-White RTW Spring 2025 as part of New York Ready to Wear Fashion Week held at the Brooklyn Bridge Park on September 8, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)
Coco Jones at Coach
Coco Jones at Coach RTW Spring 2025 as part of New York Ready to Wear Fashion Week held at The High Line on September 9, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)
Jodie Turner-Smith at Tory Burch
Michelle Williams and Jodie Turner-Smith at Tory Burch RTW Spring 2025 held at Skylight at The Refinery as part of New York Ready to Wear Fashion Week on September 9, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Lexie Moreland/WWD via Getty Images)
Kerry Washington and Mary J. Blige at Michael Kors
Kerry Washington and Mary J. Blige at Michael Kors RTW Spring 2025 as part of New York Ready to Wear Fashion Week held at The Shed on September 10, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)
Issa Rae at Off-White
Issa Rae at Off-White RTW Spring 2025 as part of New York Ready to Wear Fashion Week held at the Brooklyn Bridge Park on September 8, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)
Taraji P. Henson at Jonathan Simkhai
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 07: Taraji P Henson attends the Jonathan Simkhai fashion show during New York Fashion Week: The Shows at The Edge at Hudson Yards on September 07, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Gotham/Getty Images)
Danai Gurira at Ulla Johnson
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 08: Danai Gurira attends the Ulla Johnson fashion show during New York Fashion Week at Terminal Warehouse on September 08, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dominik Bindl/Getty Images)
Laverne Cox at Christian Cowan
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 08: Laverne Cox attends the Christian Cowan S/S25 Runway Show during New York Fashion Week at Blade East on September 08, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Udo Salters/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Ravyn Lenae at Luar
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 10: Ravyn Lenae attends the Luar Fashion Show during September 2024 New York Fashion Week on September 10, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Manny Carabel/Getty Images)