After moving to Paris in 2004, Eny Whitehead began assisting some of the industry’s biggest names including Pat McGrath, Peter Philips and Tom Pecheux on various runway shows worldwide before starting to work on her own as a make-up artist.
Since then she has established an impressive portfolio working with a distinguished list of clients including Chanel, Hugo Boss, Longchamps, Leonard, Maje, Sandro, Printemps, Galeries Lafayette and photographers. Eny has developed a strong aesthetic sensibility, which greatly influences her personal vision of style, beauty and fashion.
Her modern approach to beauty translates into effortless, eclectic and flawless looks. We caught up with Eny Whitehead during the haute couture shows during Paris Fashion Week to talk about how she started out in the beauty industry.
GM Why did you become a make-up artist?
EW I was living in Sydney at the time and one of my friends took me backstage to a fashion show, I knew nothing about fashion back then but I remember being mesmerised by the make-up artists backstage, the energy and creativity that was going on - it was very intense. So I decided that I wanted to become a make-up artist.
GM Which years of your life were the most influential for you?
EW In 2003, I moved to Paris to attend makeup school. Then two years later, I assisted Pat McGrath on the shows. In 2007, I met Peter Philips and started working with him and his close team. A year later, I joined the Calliste agency, and since 2013, I’ve been working with Chanel for their celebrity department.
GM When you were starting out, did you have any heroes or heroines - any people you particularly looked up to?
EW For me, Ellis Faas was, and still is, a great artist. I discovered her work whilst I was living in Amsterdam, about 12 years ago, and I was so impressed with what she did - how she used colours and her approach to textures - that I wrote her a letter to ask for advice on how she started out and she actually replied to me!
GM Do you still have this letter?
EW (laughing) Yes, I kept it.
GM What inspires you?
EW Nature has always been a great source of inspiration for me in terms of shapes, forms and colours. I think that is related to my childhood spent in Brazil, where colours are part of everyday life. Art is a great source of inspiration, I love to look at modern paintings - seeking new ways to assemble colours and textures.
GM Which elements define your signature?
EW People always tell me that they love the way that I work on the skin, it’s luminous and transparent in a way. I think that’s part of my vision of a modern woman, she’s strong but not artificial.
