Catwalk Trend: S/S Hair Round-Up

There’s no escaping the fact that wet heads were everywhere this season and whilst you might not think you can pull off this high fashion look, we reckon it’s the perfect poolside style for ELLE girls everywhere. Take the lead from Max Mara, Hussein Chalayan and Marios Schwab and pair glassy heads with dry, beach-textured lengths for the ultimate style contrast. ‘I call this glam-wet, think Lauren Hutton coming out of the shower – so sexy!’ says Luigi Murenu, hairstylist backstage at Max Mara, ‘it’s the mix of a hard masculine head with softer feminine lengths that make this so modern and so now for summer’. We couldn’t agree more and will be stocking up on Frizz Ease Spiral Style, £4.79, by John Frieda to get it just right.

An update on the bun, we saw twisted styles emerge everywhere from Paul Smith to Matthew Williamson and Antonio Berardi. Whether it was a row of tight coils at Richard Nicoll or a cluster of hair woven with coloured ribbon at Zac Posen the key to the look is strong hold shine to keep the twist in place. Hairstylist Malcolm Edwards (maestro of the twist) swears by Fix Design, £9.90, by L’Oreal Professionnel and so do we – it makes hair brilliantly pliable yet gives a rock solid finish. We watched him saturate models’ hair in the stuff at Antonio Berardi before twisting into rope braids that wrapped around heads like graphic, geometric halos. ‘Twists can be strong and sharp but the intricacies you can add mean they can also be polished and feminine too’ enthuses Edwards.

From fossil-inspired sculptures at McQueen to crimped lengths at Gianfranco Ferre and Jeremy Scott and sky-high couture creations at Danielle Scutt, hair stylists pushed the boundaries this season, encouraging us to break out of our ponytail rut. Texture-wise anything goes from frothy and fluffy at Etro to tight-to-the-head cornrows at Jean Paul Gaultier while even coloured hair got in on the act at Giles and Proenza Schouler. ‘Now is the time to have fun and experiment with your style’ insists Guido Palau backstage at McQueen, ‘your hair doesn’t necessarily have to relate to anything, it can be pure escapism. That said there should always be an element of beauty to whatever style you create so bear in mind shape, width and what will flatter your face shape’.

You know a trend is set to be huge when Alexander Wang gives it his seal of approval. At his New York show models stormed the catwalk with fat plaits slinking down their shoulders in homage to 70s Americana. While over in London plait fan extraordinaire Neil Moodie created beachy braids at Margaret Howell. ‘Texture is key so load your hair up with a salt spray like Surf Spray, £17.50, by Bumble and Bumble to infuse a day-at-the-beach feel. To avoid schoolgirl comparisons tease the braid apart with your fingers and encourage strands to fall out around the front, ‘it needs to feel a little undone so keep it flat and fat and wear with confidence’ says Moodie.

Casually elegant styles ruled the runways at Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel and Marni this season. Embellished with either intricate gold slides or silk headscarves these dishevelled updos provided the perfect juxtaposition to ornate collections and luxury fabrics. An effortless look, it’s our new go-to style for evenings out and the perfect accompaniment to an LBD for an oh-so nonchalant statement. ‘Your fingers should be your essential tool for this kind of look’ says hair stylist Paul Hanlon who created the looks at Pringle and Marni, ‘ to start just gather hair with your fingers and loop up into a half do. Pull random sections out afterwards to soften it up - a dry, wispy texture is crucial’. ELLE loves Thickening Gel Crème, £9.50, by TIGI.

Our workwear staple, the bun is a seasonal must. It looked neat and demure at Ralph Lauren and high and tousled at Bottega Veneta. To look sharp for summer follow Marc Jacobs’ lead and pull hair into a tight topknot that is slicked with shine. ‘But keep the bun centred and high on top of the head to keep it looking chic’ says Guido Palau who created the look. ‘Don’t be afraid of adding lots of shine serum either (try Glass Look Smoothing Serum, £16.45, by Redken), it’s also a great look if you have a fabulous collar or neckline you want to show off’.’ Elsewhere we loved the fat coiled topknots at Lanvin and the whimsical buns at London label Charles Anastase – perfect for days when you want a more subtle style statement.