Individuality Rules at New York Fashion Week
The hair at Calvin Klein, done by Guido Paulo for Redken, was all about individuality. (Photo: Redken)
Fashion Week is the place where trends for future seasons are set — from hemlines to hairstyles, color palettes to lipsticks. But New York Fashion Week’s Spring 2016 shows changed course this season and picked up on something women everywhere are already tapped into: Individuality.
Designers finally featured some diversity on the runway in the forms of skin tones, hair types, and even body types (did you see Ashley Graham strut her sexy size 14 body down the runway in lingerie?). And furthermore, they celebrated it, letting the models rock their natural hair textures, freckles, and skin “imperfections” for all to see.
Unlike previous seasons where designers call for an army of models — marching carbon copies with the same side parts or red lipstick, despite whether or not they’re flattering — they finally got the memo that being unique and embracing your natural look is “in.”
Opening Ceremony was a celebration of natural hair textures. (Photo: Getty Images)
“At Calvin Klein the hair is very natural, bringing out each girls’ individuality,” Guido Paulo, one of the world’s leading hair trendsetters and Redken’s Global Creative Director, told Yahoo Beauty. “If someone’s got wavy hair we’re leaving it, if someone’s got straight hair that’s theirs, if they look better in a side part we’re leaving it in a side part, and then some girls in the center.” Sure, Paulo still created a “look” for each of the models — in this case, Redken’s Windblown to “emphasize what’s there, bring out textures, natural movement, and give it a slight bit of volume.” But unlike in the past, where girls had their hair flat-ironed or curled into submission with an arsenal of five or six products, hairstylists were highly selective, choosing sprays, cream, and serums that would enhance the strands they were born with.
Paulo was not alone — we heard the same celebration of natural hair at Opening Ceremony. “If a girl walks in and she’s got curly hair, we make it a bit more curly. If she has cool beachy hair, we make it a bit more beachy,” said hairstylist Anthony Turner, playing up everyone’s strengths with Bumble and bumble products. At Rodarte, famed hairstylist Odile Gilbert played up natural texture using Kerastase Spray a Porter and put two of the brand’s barrettes in the hair in an unexpected way. “All the shows — they want to recognize the girls and want them to be beautiful themselves,” Gilbert told Yahoo Beauty. She also created four different hairstyles for Moroccanoil backstage at Zac Posen, capturing the individual personality of each model. At Lacoste, Laurent Philippon for Bumble and bumble gave models custom styles since the look was about “respecting what the hair does.” The idea was to let natural textures show and make the style look like it wasn’t done by a hairdresser.
Models at Alexander Wang wore no makeup, to reveal and embrace their natural skin — flaws and all. (Photo: Getty Images)
Makeup artists followed suit, letting the skin breathe with minimal cosmetics applications — often forgoing basics like foundation and mascara. In fact, there was absolutely no makeup used at Alexander Wang’s 10th Anniversary show. Lead artist Diane Kendal simply applied a layer of NARS Luminous Moisture Cream to models’ faces and called it a day, putting the focus on individual beauty. At Victoria Beckham, the beauty inspiration was presenting the best versions of yourself, from the clean matte manicures by Nails Inc. to the three-step flash facials provided by Sunday Riley.
Instead of taking the fashion industry’s lead, it’s refreshing that that for Spring 2016 they’re finally following ours. Today’s world is one where we don’t all want the same hard-to-pull-off look like super straight, sleek strands or impeccably styled waves. One where we know exactly what lipstick shades suit our skin tones but we also love trying ones that suit our ever-changing moods. Where being unique, and not a trend-chaser, is what makes you feel and look your best. As Paulo puts it, “What we’re really talking about is personality, individual style, and ease.” Finally a trend worth getting behind.
Related:
NYFW Spring 2016: The Best Runway Beauty Looks
NYFW: Makeup Artist Tom Pecheux Shares His Genius Application Tricks
