Throughout his career as a makeup artist, Justin Soriano has dolled up some of the creative industry's most beautiful faces. He partly accredits this success to Nikki Huang, the heiress of Rustan's, who was his first-ever muse. Since 2019, the two have been close collaborators, serving looks at some of the world's most fashionable affairs.
Below, Preview catches up with Justin as he talks about the relationship they've formed throughout the years.
Justin Soriano on Being Nikki Huang's Makeup Artist
Hi Justin! Could you please describe the first time you and Nikki met?
"We first met during a Nars event in Rockwell when I was demonstrating their new product. Weeks later, she booked me for a prom. Nikki was actually my first-ever muse when I started my career in Manila as a makeup artist."
"We worked together smoothly because while we think about her makeup looks, we also think more broadly [and consider] confidence, storytelling, and techniques. Nikki is really passionate about makeup. We love practicing artistry together and sharing product recommendations."
How did you end up working together? How long have you been working together since?
"She messaged me on Instagram and booked me to do her makeup for a prom. [She booked me again] for the Loewe launch in Manila. From that moment on, we already knew where this [artist] and muse relationship would go. Nikki has been my muse since the first quarter of 2019."
How would you describe Nikki as a client?
"Aside from being my muse, Nikki is also one of my best friends. We co-create and we always strive for cohesion with our looks. We developed a relationship where we comfortably say what we both like and dislike, and I think that is one of the reasons why we work smoothly together."
As her makeup artist, what can you say about her personal style or aesthetic?
"Nikki is a minimalist and so am I. We love to challenge ourselves [when it comes to] achieving simplicity. Her overall aesthetic matches my makeup vision. I always want to do elegant looks that exude power and intimidate, but are still friendly."
How has working with Nikki impacted your career as a makeup artist?
"As I’ve said, we always co-create. And [it's actually] one of the reasons why my love for photography awakened. After every look we create, I always feel like shooting her. During [one of the] fashion weeks, I filmed some clips of her before a Balenciaga show and [that's how I started] doing fashion reels."
What’s your most unforgettable moment working with Nikki?
Fashion Week Spring/Summer 23! We have a lot of memorable looks, but it was during that fashion week when we did two unforgettable looks for the Balenciaga and Givenchy shows."
What’s something interesting about Nikki that people don’t know?
"She styles herself, and she often does her own hair and makeup since she has been out of the country for academics. She really knows her brands, and she's always on the lookout for new ones. The outfits and accessories she wears to big events often have hidden personal meanings."
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