Our Favorite Front Row Beauty Moments From NYFW SS25 – Essence

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

Naomi Campbell at Alaïa

Lil’ Kim at Christian Siriano

Ciara at Willy Chavarria

Tracee Ellis Ross at Willy Chavarria

Doechii at Luar

Victoria Monét at Off-White

Coco Jones at Coach

Jodie Turner-Smith at Tory Burch

Kerry Washington and Mary J. Blige at Michael Kors

Issa Rae at Off-White

Taraji P. Henson at Jonathan Simkhai

Danai Gurira at Ulla Johnson

Laverne Cox at Christian Cowan

Ravyn Lenae at Luar