Mercedes-Benz Spring 2013 Fashion Week: Richard Chai

Richard Chai’s spring 2013 collection featured muted pastels, crisp white and light creams with pops of dark navy, and to complement his sophisticated designs he turned to Lead Stylists Frank Rizzieri and Kevin Ryan for Aveda to ensure hair styling was as modern and fresh as the garments when they walked the white catwalk at The Stage at Lincoln Center.

Female models sported a sleek, low ponytail with angled partings on top of the head to add interest, which was also mimicked in the male models’ hairstyle. Frank Rizzieri prepped the hair with Pure Abundance Style Prep, created a square section of hair on top, made a clean part on the left side and then starting again where the left parting meets the forehead he made another part diagonally across the head to create two asymmetrical sections on top. Using a bristle brush, Rizzeri brushed the hair down towards the nape of the neck, applying Brilliant Shine and Air Control Hairspray to ensure long-lasting shine and hold, then secured the hair with a clear elastic.

Ryan created the same two asymmetrical partings in the male models’ hair after prepping damp hair with Pure Abundance, flat ironing the hair after drying with a blow dryer and brushing the hair backwards. Ryan finished the look by taming flyaways with a fine-toothed comb, directing hair toward the back, keeping strands close to the nape, and spraying Air Control Hairspray as well as Brilliant Shine for a luminous, glossy look with extra hold.

M.A.C Cosmetics artist James Kaliardos went for an overall 1960s look but with a geometric eye for a twist. The face and lips featured a nude palette so the eye design would be the main attraction. Kaliardos swept a line using Dirty Blonde eyeliner in the crease and inner corners and completed the eye with a light gray shadow to create the long oval shape from the lash line up above the crease, extending to the inner corner and outer edges of the eye. —Aja Edwards