Chagall sets trend with ‘Malepolish’

Some male manicures done at Chagall by Nail Maestro Saji and the team

Check out the hottest new trend in men’s fashion at Colombo’s hottest salon, Chagall. Trendsetter Gerald who is known for his wow style of dressing and impeccable taste, has introduced Hollywood’s latest trend for men – Malepolish!  

Malepolish is being handled expertly by Saji and the nail team at Chagall and Gerald stresses the fact that Malepolish is something that is part of a manicure and could be worn by all men. “Of course if you don’t fancy a bit of polish, you could always have just a manicure and buffing of your nails.”

“For me, it started off as being fun and kitschy,” says Gerald. “I’m very comfortable wearing it. After all why should gender fluidity be limited to just clothes? American fashion designer Marc Jacobs, sparked off a #malepolish trend recently, when he flaunted coloured nails on Instagram, and urged his followers to do the same. I believe that in today’s context men need to be as colourful ad flamboyant as their female partners and why not? If it suits you and you have the chutzpah to carry it off, go for it,” says Gerald, who will be happy to paint your nails any way you wish. 

Men dabbling with manicures is hardly a new concept. Plenty of men have long enjoyed the relaxing experience (and tidy cuticles) of the classic treatment. But it seems that you might have to start fighting some guys at the salon for your favourite bottle of lacquer.

According to W Magazine, designer Marc Jacobs is responsible for popularising #MalePolish. In recent months, he has been taking to his Instagram account to post selfies featuring the hashtag, which drew attention to his neatly painted fingertips. According to legendary manicurist and Jacobs’s friend Jin Son Choi, he came up with #MalePolish himself.

It’s not the first time that men are showing off perfectly manicured talons, with Hollywood actors like Jared Leto, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt and Zac Efron being followers of ‘male paint’ in the past and style legend, the late musician David Bowie making a case for it decades back. “The whole nail category has had an explosive growth over the last couple years,” says Gerald. “Men are more interested in that category as well. There is more perception and awareness in terms of nails.”

According to international trends, in the past, a man’s manicure always ended with just buffing for a natural shine, or using a matte top coat. But now, there are whole lines of nail polish directed toward male clients. 

“The colours are usually (but not always) muted, with a matte finish. Clear nail paint and earthy colours are what guys usually go for,” says Gerald. Lots of rock and roll icons like Marilyn Manson wore nail paints, so, the trend is ever-evolving”.

Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that a handful of nail lacquers aimed specifically at men have emerged. EvolutionMan, a Los Angeles-based collection of men’s skin-care products, offers a selection of polishes ($14 apiece), both in two clear versions and in colors like a matte deep plum. When 11 of the brand’s products were featured on the flash sale Web site HauteLook in March, its clear Pure Matte polish was one of several items that sold out. 

AlphaNail, another men’s line, comes in a chunky marker-like pen (now on sale for $9.95) that is perhaps more comfortable for larger hands to manipulate than the traditional tiny bottle with a delicate brush tucked inside the cap.

Some popular women’s brands also offer polishes specifically for men. The Essie line, for example, includes Man-e-cure, a semi-shiny clear polish that, although transparent when applied, is the colour of a margarita inside its black-capped bottle. Orly has had sales increase by 20% in the last year for Nails for Males, a similar item that leaves a much flatter but still noticeable finish.

“If men wore polish five years ago, everyone would be looking at them saying, ‘What is going on?’ We’re living in a changing world — everything goes. But it has to be well done, not a mess,” says Gerald. “A multitude of men have utilized #MalePolish to show off their own masculine paint jobs, varying from acrylic talons to a simple smattering of vampy lacquer. So go for it!”