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    1. Beauty

    Phoebe Philo Just Proved That Sheer Manicures Are Going to Be All the Rage This Autumn

    Colour us obsessed

    Nessa Humayun's avatar
    By Nessa Humayun
    Published 19 September 2025 In Features

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    Phoebe Philo
    (Image credit: Phoebe Philo)
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    At Marie Claire UK HQ, we're huge Phoebe Philo stans. The clothes from her tenure at Celine remain a coveted staple on resale sites (and our wardrobes), and there's collective hysteria across the industry whenever she releases a new collection. Now, she's even influencing our manicures.

    Yes, a picture from Philo's Collection C campaign is making the rounds on the internet—and not for sartorial reasons. It features filmmaker Mati Diop, who is beaming and wearing minimalist clothing (of course)—but the main event is undoubtedly her nails, which were filed into long rectangles with each finger painted a different shade, in differing opacities too.

    Phoebe Philo

    (Image credit: Phoebe Philo)

    The look was created by nail artist Sylvie Macmillen, who is renowned for her handcrafted creations for the likes of Miu Miu, Burberry and Mugler, as well as her collaborations with Rosalia, Bella Hadid and Shygirl. This time around, she's served up a potent dose of autumnal nail inspo. This multi-coloured set is known as a 'Skittles' manicure, in varying shades of pastel blue, purple, beige, brown and silver.

    A post shared by Mati Diop (@matidiop)

    But what makes this look super cool is the varying opacities and finishes. While some nails are completely opaque, others are beautifully sheer so you can see the nail bed underneath. It's super unusual, but so chic—and given the muted, cool-toned colour palette, it's the perfect way to switch up your mani for the colder months; and the possibilities are endless.

    Below, shop our favourite sheer (and opaque) polishes, and our favourite tools for getting a super clean manicure, at home.

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    Manucurist active smooth

    Manucurist
    Active Smooth 03
    £16
    £16 AT MANUCURIST

    Manucurist Active Smooth 02

    Manucurist
    Active Smooth 02
    £16
    £16 AT MANUCURIST

    Hermès Les Mains Hermès Nail Enamel 15ml (various Shades)

    Hermès
    Les Mains Hermès Nail Enamel - 95 Brun Bistre
    £46
    £46 AT CULT BEAUTY

    Navy Cuticle Serum Pen 4ml

    Navy
    Cuticle Serum Pen
    £10
    £10 AT SPACE NK

    Navy Mini Cuticle Balm 15ml

    Navy
    Mini Cuticle Balm 15ml
    £10
    £10 AT SPACE NK

    Helen - Fine Bladed Cuticle Nippers

    Navy Professional Ltd
    Helen - Fine Bladed Cuticle Nippers
    £58
    £58 AT NAVY PROFESSIONALS

    Marie Claire Newsletter

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    Explore More
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    Beauty Editor

    Nessa Humayun is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire UK. With over eight years of editorial experience across lifestyle sectors, Nessa was previously the Editorial Lead of HUNGER Magazine, and has bylines in British Vogue, Dazed, and Cosmopolitan. A self-confessed human guinea pig, Nessa covers everything from product must-haves to long-reads about the industry writ large. Her beauty ethos is all about using products that work hard, so you don't have to.

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