The autumn season, especially in fashion and beauty, is all about change. The light and airy vacation vibes of the summer shift to the cool, layered looks of the fall and makeup looks turn from sunkissed to moody; the colors of the fashion season change just like the leaves do.
Sept. 16 marked the change of both the beauty and fashion season at the Nordstrom at Easton this year. They hosted the “Fall Beauty Showcase” in collaboration with Fashion Week Columbus (FWC), the event boasting a runway show which highlighted beauty products for the fall season, clothing brands available in the store, a raffle and an opportunity to sample the beauty products after the show.
Professional looks were highlighted for the runway show, with business chic looks for womenswear and ‘corporate casual’ outfits for the menswear. The latter focused on silhouettes that were cool and casual, finding ways to elevate hoodies and quarter-zips into pieces that were cozy, cool and professional all at once.
Two of the best womenswear looks included an olive green military style suit with strong shoulders, pockets galore, a belted waist and a hint of texture with a pointed leopard print shoe, as well as a look that featured a brown blazer, suede skirt, leopard print button-up top, Sam Edelman knee-high boots and a tie to accessorize.
Muted and dark, neutral colors, leopard print, plaids, knits, faux leather, Merino wool and pops of maroon or dark cherry red were all key to the show. These details could be found across the variety of looks and are in for the fall/winter 2025 season at Nordstrom.
In terms of makeup and beauty, Nordstrom featured brands and products that give a ‘barely there’ kind of feeling on the skin. These looks were matte, natural yet bold, and many featured a dark lip to complement the tones found in the clothing on the runway.
Several brands and new products were highlighted, such as Jo Malone London’s Raspberry Ripple and Cypress and Grapevine colognes, MAC Cosmetics’ reformulated Lipglass Air Nonsticky Lip Gloss, Chanel’s limited edition Les 4 Ombres Boutons Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow and Dior’s Backstage Rosy Glow Blush with ph-activated color.
After the show, mingling with the models, it was clear that each of their looks epitomized the clean, light makeup style chosen for the event. Even though they had full faces of makeup, it looked natural and effortless while also highlighting key features like a darker lip or a more intense eye look.
According to the founder of FWC, Thomas McClure, what started as a request from models to get more involved on the runway in 2010 has transformed into a weeklong showcase of the local Columbus fashion industry. Since then, it has grown into a weeklong event featuring everything from department stores sharing the latest fashion and beauty, to emerging designers and even a recycled runway, an event highlighting sustainability in fashion.
Following the theme of fall and the changes it brings, it’s clear there is a future for Columbus as a fashion hub. McClure said that the Columbus Fashion Council, Columbus Fashion Alliance, Cbus Retail, WORCA (Women of Color Retail Alliance) and Fashinnovation are partnering to host a conference next year called Direct to Columbus. He said that the goal is to bring industry professionals together and grow the fashion and retail ecosystem in the city.
“To me, that’s going to set us up on another level to be recognized again as a fashion city,” McClure said, referencing a 2012 article from Bloomberg that ranked Columbus as the third-highest city in the country for the amount of fashion designers present.
The event will take place in Aug. of 2026.
