Makeup artist Ellessechar turns discarded vintage mannequin heads into her muses. Her series 'Model Behaviour' recreates the airbrushed glam found on plastic skin. From frosty '90s lips to glossy burgundy eye gloss, each look draws from the drama of vintage department store displays. Bold, sharply arched pencil-thin brows complete the eerie homage. Standing side by side with the mannequins, Ellessechar blurs the line between the living and the inanimate.
The uncanny valley describes the unsettling feeling triggered by objects that are almost, but not quite, human. Ellessechar's makeup sits precisely on this edge. When the same makeup adorns both a lifeless mannequin and living skin, the two faces create a strange déjà vu. The mannequin starts to look human, and the human starts to look like a mannequin.
Her recreated looks are inspired by 1990s window displays and department store mannequins. Those mannequin heads maximized drama through exaggerated contours and bold shadows. Ellessechar translates that makeup grammar onto her own face. The discarded mannequins are not just objects—they are archives of an era's aesthetic.
This series shows that makeup doesn't end at the face. Lighting, angles, expressions, and the relationship with nearby objects all become part of the makeup. Ellessechar visualizes this by placing herself beside the mannequins. Makeup is ultimately read within context.
The idea that inspiration can come from anywhere may sound trite, but Ellessechar proves it. Discarded mannequins, old shop windows, shadows on plastic skin. Where do you find your makeup inspiration?
The uncanny valley describes the unsettling feeling triggered by objects that are almost, but not quite, human. Ellessechar's makeup sits precisely on this edge. When the same makeup adorns both a lifeless mannequin and living skin, the two faces create a strange déjà vu. The mannequin starts to look human, and the human starts to look like a mannequin.
Her recreated looks are inspired by 1990s window displays and department store mannequins. Those mannequin heads maximized drama through exaggerated contours and bold shadows. Ellessechar translates that makeup grammar onto her own face. The discarded mannequins are not just objects—they are archives of an era's aesthetic.
This series shows that makeup doesn't end at the face. Lighting, angles, expressions, and the relationship with nearby objects all become part of the makeup. Ellessechar visualizes this by placing herself beside the mannequins. Makeup is ultimately read within context.
The idea that inspiration can come from anywhere may sound trite, but Ellessechar proves it. Discarded mannequins, old shop windows, shadows on plastic skin. Where do you find your makeup inspiration?
FAQ
What is Ellessechar's Model Behaviour series?
A project that uses discarded vintage mannequin heads as muses to recreate airbrushed glam makeup on plastic skin. Inspired by '90s window displays, it creates an uncanny valley effect that blurs the line between mannequin and human.
What is the uncanny valley?
The strange discomfort and déjà vu triggered by objects that resemble humans but aren't quite perfect. Ellessechar visualizes this boundary by placing mannequins and herself side by side.
What defines Ellessechar's makeup style?
She recreates 1990s shop-window mannequin makeup: frosted '90s lips, glossy burgundy eye gloss, heavy angular pencil brows. Using discarded mannequins as archives of period aesthetics, she emphasizes exaggerated contours and dramatic shading.
