A go-to makeup artist for celebrities, Patrick Ta’s beauty looks have been seen on countless red carpets and famous faces. But this season marks the first time Patrick Ta’s vision will be seen on the runways of New York Fashion Week (NYFW), at the Monse SS25 show.

“Now felt like the perfect moment to debut at NYFW because Patrick Ta Beauty has grown tremendously over the last few years, most notably this year with our first ever brand campaign and launch of our liquid foundation,” Ta says. “We’ve been cementing our identity within the beauty world. NYFW is iconic in fashion and beauty, and now felt like the right time to bring my vision to the runway, creating beauty looks that translate both the essence of Monse and the spirit of our brand and where we’ve gotten. As a makeup artist I always think about the whole look—the hair, the outfit, the nails, the makeup—which is why I’ve always had a love for fashion.”

Patrick Ta Beauty and Monse are both brands whose aesthetics—somehow simultaneously cutting-edge and classic—have a delightful synergy, making the partnership a great fit. Monse recently had a major moment at the DNC with Michelle Obama wearing their design.

“I’ve always admired Monse’s approach to design—it’s confident, structured, yet effortlessly cool, which felt like it aligned with my own makeup aesthetic and outlook,” Ta says. “I truly love and admire Laura [Kim]’s approach to design and it’s such an honor to be working with her this season. Partnering with Monse, a brand that captures the essence of powerful, confident women who aren’t afraid to showcase bold self-expression, seemed perfectly aligned with what I aspire my own brand to do for women, and it felt like such a natural fit for my first NYFW partnership.”

Ta collaborated with Kim and Fernando Garcia, the co-founders of Monse, to conceive the makeup looks. “We worked closely to ensure that the makeup aligned with the overall feel of their SS25 collection,” Ta says. “They shared their inspirations, colors and textures, and I translated those ideas into makeup looks that would complement and enhance their vision. The goal was to ensure that the makeup seamlessly fit the mood of the show while still allowing each model’s individuality to shine.”

Since Monse’s SS 25 collection had a strong sporty influence to it, Ta wanted the makeup to match this, aiming for a super fresh and clean look, emphasizing models’ own natural beauty but keeping an effortless vibe. “This felt like the perfect fit for Patrick Ta Beauty to come in knowing our products are created to bring out a lit from within, healthy glow that makes your own complexion naturally more radiant,” Ta says. “With this in mind, the makeup was minimalistic but incredibly luminous.”

Another important element of the brand is Patrick Ta Beauty is very well suited for the runway. “Our products are designed to deliver long-lasting, high-impact results that are essential for a runway look,” Ta says. “Each formula is meant to withstand different lighting and photography, and with that, they meet the demands of the fast-paced show while still looking flawless. Whether it’s our liquid foundation, blush or contour, each product was meticulously made to enhance the skin and give it that radiant, camera-ready finish that translates so gorgeously under the runway lights.”

Since the Patrick Ta Beauty Major Skin Hydra Luxe Luminous Skin Perfecting Foundation just launched, Ta wanted to bring it to life on the runway, making it the star of the makeup. “It’s basically like skincare in a bottle,” he says. Ta applies it with the Major Sculpt Dual-Ended Sculpting Brush “because you can get a really nice, clean swipe. This foundation is a very light to medium coverage. It still allows your skin to shine through. It comes in 30 shades. That luminosity and glow that you are seeing is truly from the skincare in the foundation. There’s three forms of hyaluronic acid, squalane and fermented kombucha. There’s no pearl, there’s no mica, so all the glow is coming from the skincare ingredients.”

But before a drop of makeup is applied, creating the perfecting canvas first is crucial. That’s where Cetaphil, the skincare sponsor of the show, came in. To keep things simple and gentle, just two products were used to prep skin: the Cetaphil Gentle Makeup Removing Face Wipes to start with a clean slate and the new Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Lotion.

“It’s a lightweight lotion with mild exfoliants in it, which over time can help to turn over the skin cells gently,” says Dr. Katie Beleznay, a board-certified dermatologist who practices in Vancouver, Canada and Cetaphil partner. “Today, we’ve noticed it gives that little bit of radiance in the skin. It’s a lightweight lotion, and hydrates and serves as a good primer before their makeup. Cetaphil is gentle and good for all types of skin, even sensitive skin. In this skincare world, we’re seeing a lot of simplicity. You don’t need tons of products; you can use a simple exfoliating lotion and have lovely skin. Skincare is having such a moment. We’re keeping makeup really light, and you can smooth out the appearance of skin by hydrating to provide that glow, and lean into natural, fresh skin.”

To complete backstage beauty, Oribe, led by Kien Hoang, worked with models’ natural hair texture and took it to the next level for them to look like the best version of themselves, delivering a minimalist vibe. Jin Soon did the nails, working with three polish colors: Bliss, a pale violet blue with a jelly finish ideal for spring and summer; Nifty, a silver metallic inspired by the jazz age; and Demure, a creamy tan that proves Jin Soon Choi is aways ahead of the trends.

To create the Monse runway look, Ta wanted to start with a skin-like base, so the first step was the new Patrick Ta Beauty Major Skin Hydra Luxe Luminous Skin Perfecting Foundation, applying it to the center of the face and moving outwards to blur imperfections. Next, he applied the Major Headlines Double-Take Creme & Powder Blush Duo in the shades Not Too Much, She’s Flushed and She’s Wanted, depending on the model’s skin tone. “These colors together are perfect to make rosy-bronze cheeks,” Ta says. “You just apply the powder blush first and then apply cream blush after. By applying the cream last, it adds a dewy glow that brings the skin to life.”

Next, Ta created the perfect brow with Major Brow Lamination Gel to sculpt and lift brow hairs, then he filled in with Major Brow Defining Pencil to add definition and shape. For lips, he turned to Major Volume Plumping Gloss in Looks Natural, a clear shade, to plump up and add natural sheen. He completed the look with Major Glow Balm in She’s Glossy, a universal transparent shade that added radiance to the final look.

“Throughout my career, some of my most notable looks have been created for red carpet glam, so high-fashion runway moments like this partnership with Monse are an incredible opportunity to showcase versatility and creativity with more editorial and fresh-faced looks,” Ta says. “The fun of being a makeup artist is seamlessly being able to create for both of these worlds, so being able to bring my creative vision to life as showcased through artistry in this new way is so exciting.”

Ta’s favorite part of creating the beauty looks for Monse has been seeing the creative synergy between fashion and beauty come to life. “Collaborating with the Monse team, pushing boundaries and creating something that truly complements the collection has been an inspiring experience,” Ta says. “There’s something magical about seeing your vision unfold on the runway—it’s always been a dream of mine and I’m so honored to call it reality now.”