The results are in for the winners of the Redken/American Salon Runway Reinvention Contest! Contestants were asked to use Redken products to recreate the ‘6os-inspired French pleat Redken Creative Consultant Guido styled for the fall 2011 Bottega Veneta show into a salon-friendly look. The contest was judged by American Salon’s Editor in Chief and Beauty Director Kelley Donahue and Publisher Brett Vinovich and renowned Los Angeles photographer Albert Sanchez.
First place, front view
First place, side view
First-place winner Liubov Rachmanina from Nevada adapted the French twist and the men’s pompadour style for the modern day career-oriented woman, creating a polished professional look in front and maintaining charm in the back. To achieve the winning style, she used Redken Full Frame 07 All-Over Volumizing Mousse and Outshine 01 Anti-Frizz Polishing Milk on towel-dried hair. After blow-drying with a round brush, she sprayed hair with Hot Sets 22 Thermal Setting Mist and then used a 1-inch curling iron for body and workability. After separating the top from the rest, Rachmanina gave hair a strong tease from the roots to mid-shaft, and sprayed each section with Fashion Work 12 for soft hold. Perimeter hair was bobby-pinned from the nape to the crown area to give the French twist a strong base. The pompadour was styled with Fashion Work 12 and once twists were secured, the style was finished with Forceful 23 and touched-up with a curling iron to smooth down flyaways. For this winning look, Rachmanina will receive a three-day, two-night trip to New York City in November, where she will attend an exclusive trend-forecasting event with Guido and have dinner with the American Salon team.
Nevada’s Dennis Cooper won second place for transforming Guido’s French pleat into a softer and sexier style, adding a touchable bang to achieve a do-it-yourself look. Hair was first shampooed with Go Clean and then Full Frame 07 was worked evenly through hair, followed by a misting of Fashion Work 12. After strategically blow-drying hair in desired directions, Cooper separated it into four sections. Hair was gently brushed into a French pleat and pinned into place. Using a blow-dryer and Fashion Work 21 to blow the remainder of hair into place for a windswept look, Cooper then used a bit of Rewind 06 to glaze over the look, sprayed Shine Flash 02 for gloss and finished with Pure Force 16.
Anna Popovich, third place winner from Ohio, softened the runway style by adding a romantic braid, which started in the front of the head and blended into a French pleat at the back. She first prepared hair with Guts 10 and then backcombed into three sections: full crown, ear to ear for the braid, and the back of the head for the French pleat. She used Fashion Work 12 throughout styling and finished with Shine Flash 02. —Kristen Heinzinger
Second place, front view
Second place, side view
Third place, front view
Third place, side view