This picture of French actress Marion Cotillard at the UK premiere of her new film Public Enemies caught everyone’s attention earlier this week. The combination of classic peaches and cream skin, sexy smoky eyes and her strong sculpted hair style looked bold yet elegant – but it was the hair that really got us talking.

On paper, something as structured and boxy as this shouldn’t work, so I got leading session stylist Malcolm Edwards to explain why it does.

‘It’s so modern to add a masculine edge to such a feminine silhouette and soft make-up,’ he told me. ‘Plus the taut sides really pull your face up and give you an instant face lift so it’s hugely flattering, too.’

To get the look at home… ‘It’s crucial to think about proportions,’ says Malcolm. ‘Make sure you get square height at the front, but keep the sides sleek and tight to your head.’

Create volume on top by saturating your (damp) hair in mousse [try Volume Riche mousse £9.45, by Techni.art], and blow-drying it. Take a section from the top and do a little back-combng to bulk out the hair and give it body. Secure into a quiff with grips then slick back the sides and use kirbi grips and lots of hairspray [L’Oreal’s Elnett is a red carpet favourite, £4.19] to hold it in place.

Make-up wise, take Cotillard’s lead and stick with a soft, mute palette to balance your strong hair-style. Try eye shadow in Satin taupe, £11, by MAC, for a softly defined smoky eye, fill in brows and add a little mascara. On lips, go for a gloss with a little pink in it to stop them looking too flat, but steer clear of anything too shiny – it just screams WAG. Finally a pop of apricot blush (try Peach 44, £16, by Shu Uemura), applied low on cheeks will add a pretty softness and pull the whole look together.

Tres chic.