Mercedes-Benz Spring ‘11 Fashion Week NYC: Sophie Theallet

At the Sophie Theallet show, the hair and makeup were inspired by the collection's sultry Mexican vibe and the strong women the clothes were designed for.

Lead stylist for Aveda Antoinette Beenders created a braided chignon that was elegant, modern and dramatic. To get the look, Beenders prepped hair with Aveda Smooth Infustion Style-Prep Smoother for a sleek blowout, then brushed hair into a tight, high ponytail below the crown. She sprayed the ponytail with Air Control for shine and light hold, smoothing down the top and sides for a polished look. For models with fine hair, she crimped sections of the ponytail from mid-length to the ends and brushed them out to add fatness to the hair. She then created a thick, "loose but tight" braid, massaged the braid to spread it out a bit, and applied Control Force Firm Hold Hair Spray for maximum hold. For an added bit of elegance, Beenders twisted a black taffeta headband around the base of the ponytail and secured it to the head with headbands, almost forming a crown around the braid. She finished the look by folding the braid in half and adding vertical pins near the base to hold the chignon up, then securing the bottom of the braid to the head with hairpins.

Lena Koro for NARS created a strong and sultry look for the face, with smoky metallic eyes, false lashes, matte skin and a bold red lip.