Our very own Celebrity Stylemaker Mr. Billy B - makeup artist to the stars - was the mastermind responsible for the very sexy glamour girls walking down the Agent Provocateur runway at this year's LIFE BALL held on May 17th in front of the Vienna City Hall.

The 16th annual Life Ball took it to the extreme with the opening ceremony: a super chic and sensual Agent Provocateur runway show on a Red Ribbon catwalk. The night was hot, hot, hot with a mix of vaudeville, dance and spectacular show acts. The make-up was very spicy with dark read pouts, cat-lined eyes, deep smoky eyes and over-the-top hair and costumes. What a night! Read on below to learn more about LIFE BALL'S cause and about this spectacular event (plus a quote from Billy):

From NYLON blogs: http://nylonmag.com/nylonblogs/

"This past Thursday evening, while heading across the Atlantic to Austria with a rousing mix of models, make-up artists, celebrities, and larger-than-life personalities, I tried to conceptualize what it would be like to be amidst forty-thousand people ecstatically converged in one place for one cause, and mostly likely dressed to infinity and beyond. Madison Square Garden seats around twenty thousand concert-goers, as does the O2 Arena in London. My largest bases of comparison.

Seasoned Life Ballers on board spoke of past parties with illuminated eyes and sly smiles, foretelling of an extravaganza unlike no other, stateside or otherwise. I am besotted with Agent Provocateur and could not wait for the pasties, whips, waspies- oh my!

More and more questions mounted in my mind and upon arrival mid-day Friday, my biorhythms were off and my interests positively peaking. I had been to Vienna before, but knew this was a chance to see it through an entirely unconventional lens. The weekend's schedule was laid out, the catwalk constructed, and the fever absolutely pitched.

Life Ball's motto states:

Love is Infinite. Life is Universal. To that I must add: Sleep is superfluous.

Since the first Life Ball in 1993, world famous personalities and artists have supported the cause, lending their time and talent to the event, and in turn those who are suffering. Involvement from marquee names such as Sharon Stone, Sir Elton John, Kylie Minogue, Catherine Deneuve, Liza Minnelli, Kelis, Dita von Teese, Heidi Klum, Dennis Rodman, Naomi Campbell and many more have helped to create a highly-visible and immutable stand against discrimination and ignorance while also promoting the joyful and playful sides of life.

The idea of Outer Space nicely encapsulated Life Ball's core aim of dismantling discrimination against HIV and AIDS through uninhibited and unabashed celebration, emphasizing an acceptance of "the alien other"- an effort to celebrate the universality of love and life, sexual orientation aside. No better union to have then than with Agent Provocateur, which resolutely refuses to categorize sex as sleazy or smutty. Risqué, yes; Revolting, no. Between concealing and uncovering, the lingerie evokes all kinds of desires and dreams. As Joseph Corré put it, "people should become aware of their own sexuality " and not be hemmed in by conventions, literally or figuratively.

Corré, after admitting he arrived in Vienna "slightly drunk on champagne, but more so on life," said he firmly believes Agent Provocateur is "a brand about intelligence, encouraging people not to act as sheep, and that it sells ideas" along with beautiful undergarments. He was absolutely keen to partner with Life Ball because of the fact that his label " is a very heterosexual brand for women that encourages them to become powerful individuals in of themselves" and that "AIDS affects more heterosexuals than gay individuals as population-wise the gay community is a minority. Illustrious make-up maverick Billy B, at Life Ball for the first time, wanted to participate and contribute his time for similar reasons. He, along with the rest of the Life Ballers, doesn't think of AIDS "as a gay person's disease at all" and believes that "people have lost perspective and sadly AIDS is definitely NOT over. There is no event comparable in the U.S that's so huge and draws such attention to this cause. It's an amazing, gigantic, massive event that's televised."
–HELEN ARMIDE