Makeup Magic: Kristen Stewart School of Makeup

While it’s known as Makeup Artistry, the creative process of applying colour to face and body can also be big business and Kristen Stewart School of Makeup (KSSM) here in Christchurch is the go-to school to bring your talent to the market.

With 23 years in makeup artistry behind her and 10 years as Director of KSSM, Kristen Stewart is thrilled with the diverse places her training has taken school alumni. Lochie Stonehouse is currently National Makeup Artist for Yves Saint Laurent and Giorgio Armani, and was Events Artist for M.A.C. cosmetics. Hawaii-based Natalie Bruce went freelance with Nike, Adidas and Roxy as clients, plus Disney movies and Jurassic World, Discovery Channel and Hawaii Five-0 to her credit.

Capped at 10 students, KSSM Diploma Courses provide work experience that you will not find at any other school. KSSM is constantly approached to bring students to work on real shoots and shows – the Ronald McDonald House annual fashion show event is a regular, plus this is the only school in New Zealand that brings students along with the core team of qualified artists to work at New Zealand Fashion Week!
The sole New Zealand school with fashion photography as their specialty, KSSM has a gorgeous new studio on Peterborough Street, where parking is easy.

Kristen loves seeing students flourish and become supremely skilled. “By the end of the course when they have access to the full makeup cupboard, I get to see who they have become as artists. Then they go into the world and find success – they’re like my babies.”