Beyond The Flame: Gaurav Gupta & Marieke Thibaut On Paris Couture’s Boldest Collaboration

For Spring/Summer 2025 Paris Haute Couture, designer Gaurav Gupta unveils Across the Flame, a deeply personal collection inspired by resilience, transformation, and near-death experiences. Known for his sculptural couture and ethereal storytelling, Gupta’s latest show merges tradition with futurism—otherworldly silhouettes, celestial hues, and intricate embroidery that redefine couture as we know it.

Bringing this vision to life is M·A·C Cosmetics, the official makeup partner, with Global Senior Artist Marieke Thibaut crafting avant-garde beauty looks that elevate the collection’s themes of light, protection, and transcendence.

We sat down with Gaurav and Marieke to discuss the intersection of fashion, beauty, and artistry, the creative process behind these boundary-pushing designs and makeup, and what it truly means to step beyond the flame into a new era of couture. —Noa Nichol

MAC Cosmetics: Marieke Thibaut, Global Senior Artist

As the Global Senior Artist for MAC, what excites you most about collaborating with Gaurav Gupta for his Paris Haute Couture show?

It was a true pleasure for me to collaborate with Gaurav this season, he has such an inspirational universe and endless creativity that matches perfectly with my artistic signature. Gaurav challenged me to push it forward and create iconic looks and makeup pieces of art to enhance his collection.

What was the creative process like when designing the makeup looks for this collection? How do the designs influence your choices ?

Gaurav already had in mind the rendering he wanted for the show on the different aspects from the collection he created, the atmosphere he wanted, and helped me understand it perfectly by sharing his story and experience complemented with inspirational mood boards: a combination of mythological elements, fabrics, color palette and astral references. We started the makeup process one month ago by discussing our ideas, testing different variations of looks and finishes, talking about it on multiple calls including all the MAC Cosmetics team from all other the world… From India, to Paris, to California…And finally we had the chance to meet each other in the Paris showroom to put in place the last details of each look before the show.

Gaurav Gupta’s creations are sculptural and avant-garde. How does the makeup complement and enhance these bold, innovative designs?

The idea was to match perfectly the collection and to create looks which will enhance the spiritual and transcendental aspect with a futuristic vision. We reworked the traditional spiritual imagery to translate it with a new approach. I played with textures and contrasts to emphasize the inner light on each model. The skin was illuminated with techniques that enhance multidimensional reflections, creating a luminous yet soft finish. Natural features were sculpted with subtle contouring, while neutral and cool tones on the lips seamlessly complement each model’s complexion. A delicate Shimmery white to silver veil on the forehead added a contrast, shaping the skin’s inner light and evoking beauty that goes beyond the physical.

What trends or techniques will we see in the makeup looks for the Spring/Summer 25 show? Are there any standout products or tools being used backstage?

This spring/summer we played with luminous and subtle reflections on the skin to enhance the natural glow of each and every one with key essentials products starting with skincare. The makeup artists are convinced since ever that the prep’ of the skin is a proper part of the makeup process and now it becomes more and more popular for everyone with trends like Korean beauty and skinification of makeup products.  My essentials for the show to create this luxurious finish on the skin without almost no make up on it, was to use a combination of the MAC Cosmetics Serumizer and Strobe Cream for their super dewy and glowy finishes. The Studio Radiance Concealer was also a must to correct and conceal the imperfections in a seamless way to make it perfectly even. We also used neutral and cool tones creamy textures to sculpt and mute the natural colors with products as paintpots in shades Tailor Grey or It’s Fabstract and MAC new Nudes lipsticks according to the model’s skin color. 

Runway shows can be intense and fast-paced. What’s your go-to strategy for ensuring flawless makeup application under high-pressure conditions?

As a leader I love to come super prepared knowing all the details of the makeup we will create with my team and make sure they are all briefed and ready for the day of the show. I take time to explain my expectations and the ones from the designer by sharing the mood of the collection and the looks we will create together, for any specific look as we did on this show, I take time to allocate to specific artists, so they are all ready to achieve it perfectly and in time. As a member of the MAC community I know that it will be super important for each and every one from the backstage manager to the makeup artist to the PR team to make it happen and in the best conditions. So, the secret is to keep the good energy, and the chakras aligned under any conditions and take the time to celebrate and thank all the talents we are working with.

Couturier: Gaurav Gupta

Your designs are known for their avant-garde and sculptural elements. How does this ethos align with M·A·C’s artistry-driven heritage in this collaboration?

Couture and makeup are both about transformation, they tell stories, evoke emotions, and create entire worlds. With MAC it was about deepening the narrative of Across the Flame in a way that felt almost otherworldly. This collection is incredibly personal to me, rooted in resilience and a journey beyond the physical. Marieke Thibaut and the MAC global team executed this vision so beautifully, whether it was the celestial third-eye sun, the Starseed blue face, or the markings inspired by the meditative chants woven into our textiles. Just as we sculpt fabric into fluid, architectural forms, they sculpted the face into an extension of the story, making beauty an inseparable part of the couture experience.

What can we expect from your Paris Haute Couture Spring/Summer 25 show? Are there specific themes or inspirations that guided this collection?

Across the Flame is a journey through fire, love, and everything that comes after. Inspired by a near-fatal accident that my life partner Navkirat Sodhi and I went through, the collection became both a meditation on resilience and a reflection of our cosmic journey. Astral Projection was the guiding philosophy, channelling the idea of an out-of-body transformation. Sculptural forms, like the Twin Flame ensemble in ochre, symbolized the tempering power of fire, while the space blue metal breastplates represented armour in vulnerability, exploring the duality of strength and fragility. We incorporated handwoven Banarasi brocade, infused with sacred chants, and reimagined denim in couture, along with ethereal embellishments like micro pearls and ghungroos (bells). All of these elements came together to create a collection that lived in the space between past, present, and the infinite.

How has working with M·A·C artists, like Marieke Thibault, helped bring your vision to life on the runway?

Marieke and the MAC team approached this collection as co-creators in an artistic dialogue, they understood the brief at its deepest level and brought it to life with such precision and artistry. Their ability to translate a concept into something visceral is what makes them extraordinary collaborators. Every element of the makeup was crafted with intent, perfectly aligned with the collection’s storytelling. The celestial third-eye sun was executed with meticulous detail, embodying enlightenment in the most striking way. The blue face, representing the Starseed was sculpted with depth and dimension, capturing the otherworldly essence of our cosmic journey. Even the placement of Preciosa crystals mirrored the way embellishments glisten on our fabrics, a testament to M·A·C’s incredible attention to detail. Their ability to push boundaries turned makeup into an extension of couture itself, making beauty an inseparable part of our collection.

Couture is often about storytelling. How do you use fashion to convey emotions, ideas, or cultural influences in your designs?

Fashion, to me, is wearable art. It communicates through sculpture, texture, movement, and play of light on fabric. In this collection, we used fashion to convey the emotions that my life partner, Navkirat, and I were going through. The Twin Flame ensemble, for instance, represents the fire we were caught in together, symbolizing the intense transformative power of that experience. The Banarasi brocade, woven with sacred chants, reflects the healing power of sound and tradition that supported us through it. Our colour palette ochre, twilight purple, and space blue captured the emotional shifts we went through during our journey. Couture, for me, isn’t just about creating garments, it’s about turning intangible emotions like grief, hope, and resilience into something you can see, touch and feel.

As a designer pushing boundaries in couture, what role do you think bold makeup and beauty play in completing your creative vision?

Beauty in couture is not an afterthought, it is the exhale that completes the breath. The face is the ultimate canvas for storytelling, and through bold, conceptual makeup, we extend the narrative beyond fabric. In Across the Flame, makeup was elemental. It represents cosmic forces, the unseen dimensions of transformation, and the spiritual imprints of resilience. The makeup that you see across the collection were not merely aesthetic choices, they were metaphysical symbols that reinforce the collection’s emotional depth. In pushing boundaries, makeup becomes a powerful tool not just for ornamentation but for alchemy, turning the ephemeral into the eternal. For this, we are grateful to Marieke and the entire M·A·C team for bringing this vision to life.