I absolutely love being part of New York Fashion Week, an event I've long considered to be the premiere stage for showcasing trends to the entire world. This season, as in previous ones, I had the great pleasure of working with Diane von Furstenberg, whose collection was inspired by the strength and fragility of the great heroines of Russian literature and history: Anna Karenina, Catherine the Great and Lara of Dr. Zhivago fame. Her looks were as much about tailoring as they were about color and print, with attire ranging from snug knit suits and both slim- and wide-legged trousers to cocktail dresses appliquéd with gold sequins to peasant tops and skirts.
 Frédéric Fekkai |
To complement the tactile fabrics—velvet, wools, beading and chenille embroideries—and beautiful colors used in the collection, I decided to go with a look reminiscent of Julie Christie's character in the film version of Dr. Zhivago. I wanted the hair to be pulled back away from the face into a loose knot. It had to look flirty and effortless, and also underscore easy glamour.
For the show, my team of stylists worked at a quick clip, making over 24 models. We began by blow-drying each model's hair straight before setting it on Velcro rollers for approximately 20 minutes. This helped create bounce and volume. After removing the rollers and working a bit of Frédéric Fekkai Glossing Cream into the hair for enhanced sheen and flexibility, the team loosely pulled back the hair into a low ponytail that was secured with a hair rubber band at the base of the neck. The trick here is to make sure that the band has a very loose hold; otherwise, it won't work. After wrapping a strip of hair around the ponytail holder and securing it underneath with a hairpin, the team pulled out a few loose strands that artfully framed the face before spritzing them with my Sheer Hold Hairspray. All in all, it was a great opportunity for my team to show off their talents, and to give the appreciative crowd a message from Russia, with love
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