The great artist from Couture Fashion Week, who is responsible for so much beauty on the International Runways, expressed to Apparel & Textiles Magazine that her life is a mix of colors, emotions and satisfactions that leave a footprint in each runway that she is a part of, as only she can do it. How many runways have you worked on?
Mahealani reflects and candidly answers our questions and says “funny enough, its been almost 15 years since my first professional makeup artist gig, which happened to be on the runway here in my hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii. Since then, too many to count. I have been lucky, as the runways have taken me all around the world.
Recently, I have visited Romania, France, Dominican Republic, India, Spain and of course, our fashion capital, New York City".
What has been your experience as Makeup Director of Couture Fashion Week?
My experiences with Couture Fashion Week have been nothing less than a whirlwind of excitement and creativity. It is a gathering place for the industries top designers including, Sushma Patel (India), Dany Atrache (Paris), Walid Atallah (Dubai), Helen Yarmak (Russia), Nedret Taciroglu (Turkey), Adrian Alicea (USA) and Andres Aquino (USA). I am also honored to work with one of New York City's top stylist and Director of Hair for Couture Fashion Week, Federico Calce of Federico Salon. Together we celebrate fashion twice a year.
As this interview unfolds, Mahealani lets us see a wonderfully human side which she defines as simple. "I define myself as someone who is confident, passionate, and most importantly down to earth”, said Mahealani.
Mahealani is very sensitive to humanitarian causes, and about this she remarks: “Absolutely. Anything that I can do to improve the quality of life for another, I am eager to contribute. An amazing example was this past November, designer and producer Andres Aquino teamed up with the Mauricio Amuy Foundation. I had the fortunate experience along with celebrities, athletes, and royalty alike to come together in the city of Victoria. With the help of 10,000 stadium attendees and 37 million viewers, we were able to raise money and awareness for the needy children of Mexico. A truly unforgettable moment.”
How does Mahealani Diego react to social injustice?
Patrick Henry:" Give me liberty or give me death"
When asked about her plans for this year, Mahealani shares some of her plans with us : “I am currently working on a few film projects here in Hawaii, wrapping our 6th and final season of ABC's Emmy Award winning series, Lost. Also, a visiting makeup artist on the true story of surfer Bethany Hamilton, Soul Surfer. Looking forward to a few International Fashion Weeks, including Spring/Summer Fashion Week 2011 this September in New York City.”
