New Look that's Razing Eyebrows

The Guardian, Monday July 20th 2009.
'In Givenchy's latest advertising campaign, eight male and female models recline in a French chateau looking curiously androgenous. Each is eyebrowless. The eyebrow, it seems, has become "excess" hair. Agyness Deyn, Lily Donaldson and Linda Evangelista have all gone eyebrowless recently.

Makeup artist Pat McGrath worked on the Balenciaga and Prada shows, both of which featured bleached-out brows. "The current economic troubles open people up to be more daring and willing to don cutting-edge looks," she says.

At a time when advertising is suffering, is eyebrowlessness just a more extreme way for a brand to sell its products? Or perhaps the prevalence of Botox (no frowning or eyebrow raising) means we simply have no need for them?

However, Lisa Oxenham, beauty and style editor at Marie Claire, advises: "Brows give a face expression - when they are not there the look hardens." And "it is not advised if your face is round, long or if you're hungover".'

Not sure I'm convinced by all this eyebrow malarky.