From ribbon tax to the return of pumps, ballet has been on the frontline of trend discourse throughout 2023 and beauty is no exception. If flushed cheeks, rose-hued palettes and a sudden influx of hair bows wasn't enough to solidify the ballerina's place in ELLE UK's roster of long-lead beauty trends, let London Fashion Week SS24 serve as confident confirmation. The leading hair look for next season? Meet the clean yet lil-bit-grungy 'distressed ballet bun', as seen at Patrick McDowell, Edward Crutchley and Roksanda.
Borrowing the symmetrical sleekness from traditional ballerina up-dos and combining it with Y2K's signature spiky tips, this off-duty dancer sits in the comfortable middle between classic elegance and 2000s edge. While the 'do relies of a juxtaposition of tidy braiding techniques and intentionally manipulated strands, the final undone look makes it fairly easy to recreate at home.
'We're at Rambert and the show is about dance and beauty, but there's also something quite tragic about the story behind it,' said Key Hairstylist and Aveda Artistic Director Christophe Potin backstage at Patrick McDowell. 'We wanted to create some ballerina buns with a twist using very clean lines.'
To prepare the model's hair for this effortlessly chic yet somber ensemble, Potin used Aveda Nutriplenish Styling Treatment Foam.
'It doesn't go hard and it's easy to manipulate,' he explained. 'Then, we used gel to create a high ponytail and a rope braid to create the bun, but left the ends spiky for a punk, edgy feel. Like a ballerina on the edge. For the ends, we used Aveda Control Force Firm Hold Hairspray for heat protection and then used hair straighteners to create spikes at the end of the hair, which was inspired by punk and feathers. It's a nice contrast of really sleek glossy hair and matte ends.'
Over at Edward Crutchley, blackened lips and gothic hues were at the forefront of his SS24 display. The hair followed suit with a glossy-yet-undone bun sitting at various heights for each model.
'Edward wanted a modernistic, medieval vibe with symmetry to the hairstyles,' said Key Stylist Johanna Cree Brown. 'It was a combination of clean, nailed-in partings with graphic oval shaped buns above the ear, back or top of the head. Some of the buns were braided using medieval techniques but shaped in an almost futuristic way.'
Roksanda SS24 saw classic pared-back up-dos take an unexpectedly unfinished route. Rather than spiked 2000s tips, the look veered towards a more healthy, uniform presentation; intentionally freed ends sat below the neat buns, rather than being meticulously misplaced around it.
And while the distressed ballet bun reigned supreme on across London's runway, many designers chose to retain the traditionally elegant prima styling for their shows. Richard Quinn opted for uniformity and a mirror-worthy shine for this Swan Lake-ready up-dos; think dramatic middle partings, low-sitting buns and a liberal application of hairspray.
