Recently Missoni showcased their latest collection at Milan Fashion Week.
Eugene Souleiman, the Global Creative Director, Care and Styling, for Wella Professionals was backstage and he shared his thoughts on the hairstyles and explains how the look was achieved:
The Look: ‘Au Contraire’
The strong hair look at the A/W ’11 Missoni show in Milan, presented two strong contradictions; a very elegant French pleat against an unruly looking top section.
Described by Eugene Souleiman, Global Creative Director Care & Styling, Wella Professionals, as “Haute Couture meets Biker Boy”, the hair look was a brilliant combination of aerodynamics versus solid angles and raw textures.
“I was inspired by the clothing collection which on the surface looked very sweet and pretty in soft pastel colours, but at second glance you notice contradictions such as the heavy biker boots in python. The hair look had to show the same contradictions, of being both masculine and chic at the same time.
It’s like Paris meets Punk Rock”, added Eugene Souleiman. Viewed from a distance the hair looks like an undercut but up close the contrasts soon become apparent as a classic French Pleat is revealed hidden underneath the heavy top section. The shine of the French pleat competing against the matte texture of the top section adds a further tension to this beautiful, considered yet extremely edgy hair look.
Get the Look:
Start with freshly washed and conditioned hair, apply Wella Professionals High Hair Add Some Body Spray into the roots and blow dry hair smoothly away from the face concentrating on directing the roots backwards.
Separate the top crown section from the back and sides and twist and clip out of the way to focus on the back section. Take the mid/back section of hair and back comb in small sections along the length of the hair using a fine tooth comb, this will remove the weight from the hair and make it easier to manipulate.
To create a perfect French Pleat, take the entire backcombed section and roll it tightly in to the head, pin the roll into place with hair grips starting at the bottom and working upwards, this will become the solid base which will give shape and support to the finished hair.
Take the section of hair on one side of the roll and in small sections, pull the hair back and backcomb into the roots, then spray with Wella Professionals High Hair Ultra Strong Finishing Spray directly on to a soft bristled brush to and pull the entire section back, using the brush – use as much hairspray as you like.
Use hair pins to secure this section of hair around the rolled base. Mist with hair spray and use a large blusher brush over the hair to smooth out and loose hairs.
Next, take the inside section of hair from the opposite side of the head and back comb along the length of the hair and again roll in to place next to the half finished pleat – this will become the base for the other side of the pleat. Repeat the process as before and pin in to place, creating a perfect clean cleft at the back of the head with no visible hair pins.
Next, release the top section of hair and push to one side, spray with Wella Professionals High Hair Ultra Strong Finishing Spray to create root direction and then flip the hair over to the other side and repeat.
Using a comb take small sections of hair from the crown section, starting at the back of the head working forward, take some Wella Professionals High Hair Punk Chic on the tips of your fingers and squash it in to the roots and moving backward – this will provide root direction, separation and texture.
Repeat this section by section through to the front of the hair. Finally apply the Wella Professionals High Hair Touch and Feel along the hair line and apply direct heat from the nozzle of the hair dryer backwards.
Products Used:
- Wella Professionals High Hair Add Some Body Spray RRP $23.50
- Wella Professional High Hair Punk Chic RRP $23.50
- Wella Professionals High Hair Ultra Control Finishing Spray RRP $22.00
- Wella Professionals High Hair Touch and Feel RRP $23.50
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