Backstage at Elie Saab RTW Spring 2019

We did something really simple — a low ponytail,” said hairstylist Stéphane Lancien backstage before the Elie Saab spring 2019 show. The somewhat messy, oily coif was meant to be seen like the models had crafted their own ponytails then spent a day at the beach. A curling iron gave tresses a wavy texture. “We kept the hairs in the face, because it’s very, very sensual and sexy,” he explained. “It’s something easy and cool.” Lancien was working with L’Oréal Paris products. — Jennifer Weil

Backstage at John Galliano RTW Spring 2019

Just as the John Galliano spring 2019 fashion collection took a cue from the Australian movie “Picnic at Hanging Rock,” so, too, did hairstylist Holli Smith backstage. In keeping with the “dark, but romantic story,” Smith explained she tried to replicate with coifs the film characters’ innocence and beauty. “We’re using Bumble and bumble Thickening Spray and mixing it with Surf Spray to get a kind of dry texture,” she said. “So when you brush it, you get a Seventies hair texture.” Smith then crafted three different braided looks for models, which were finished off with ribbons tied in bows. — Jennifer Weil

Backstage at Givenchy RTW Spring 2019

Numerous models walking the Givenchy spring 2019 show rocked short hair. “There’s always a richness to her woman,” said hairstylist Guido Palau, referring to the house’s artistic director Clare Waight Keller. “There’s a thought behind her beauty. It’s always got a simplicity to it and an ease. Even the long hair looks very powerful.” Palau described the designer’s woman as rather “powerful and thought-provoking in the way she presents herself.”  — Jennifer Weil

Backstage at Haider Ackermann RTW Spring 2019

“For the beauty, it’s about a darkness, a mood, an attitude,” said the hairstylist Duffy, backstage at the Haider Ackermann spring show. “It’s not as extreme as past seasons. But what we have done is taken an attitude and a silhouette.” Almost all the models’ hair was made darker with a L’Oréal color mousse, which was layered on. “Then it’s about lived-in, slept-on, sexed-on hair. It’s about Monday morning hair after Friday, Saturday and Sunday night with your lover. Paris in the Seventies,” he continued. “It’s greasy in the root, dry on the end. It’s kind of messed up in the back.” — Jennifer Weil

Backstage at Stella McCartney RTW Spring 2019

“It’s kind of like hair that’s been done very fast,” said Eugene Souleiman, pointing to the style he created for Stella McCartney’s spring 2019 show. “It’s a ponytail that’s sort of slipped down. It’s not a ponytail that’s really tight. It is really pretty. There are little wisps that fly. It is like perfectly imperfect-perfect kind of hair. It’s real hair…very easy.” — Jennifer Weil

Backstage at Yohji Yamamoto RTW Spring 2019

The hairstyles at Yohji Yamamoto were all about textures, accentuating it and constructing it, according to Eugene Souleiman. “That’s very Yohji, and it’s very me — actually,” the hairstylist said. “There is no plan; we are just looking at everyone in a more personal way. It’s about opposites in textures, as well, and how they can work together or how they can live in discord, which is more where we are.” — Jennifer Weil

Backstage at Issey Miyake RTW Spring 2019

James Pecis took a cue from a new fabric used in Issey Miyake’s spring collection, which can change form depending on how a person twists or pulls it. “I wanted it to be similar in the hair,” he explained. “They wanted it very natural this season. The girls all have a deep side part, and we are doing either two or four twists going back.” Pecis connected two twists together with a crochet hook at the back of models’ heads. “Basically, you are just doing a type of chignon, but it has a memory, where you can move it,” he said. “And each girl can be different.” — Jennifer Weil

Backstage at Balmain RTW Spring 2019

“The inspiration for me today at Balmain is a Helmut Newton girl from the Eighties — a girl fresh from the swimming pool, with wet hair, who combs it back in a masculine way,” said Sam McKnight. “They have side partings. There is an androgynous look. It’s wet. It’s shiny. It’s sexy.” McKnight used a myriad of products, including Kérastase conditioner, L’Oréal Paris mousse and Bumble and bumble finishing spray. Each models’ tresses were also spritzed with Modern Hairspray from the hairstylist’s eponymous product line. — Jennifer Weil

Backstage at Off-White RTW Spring 2019

“The show is inspired by female athletes — track and field,” said hairstylist Jawara Wauchope, who opted to give models pulled-back, sculptured coifs. “Kind of like they’ve been running. We’re doing a nice gloss shine, to make it look like they’ve been sweating. So it’s really like ‘run-way,’ literally, today.” He laughed, adding: “It’s sports and luxe together.” A key product Wauchope used was L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin mousse. — Jennifer Weil

Backstage at Rochas RTW Spring 2019

Rochas artistic director Alessandro Dell’Acqua had a film noir-esque scenario in mind for the beauty look of the show. So hairstylist Anthony Turner put on models’ tresses the L’Oréal Professionnel Wet Domination styling spray. “We just want to create the illusion of wet hair without actually using water, because obviously that dries quickly,” he said. Describing the woman in mind, he explained:  “She’s kind of like in the rain from wherever to wherever. There’s a bit of mystery surrounding her. We’re really playing with narrative, and just having fun with that.” Turner added: “There’s a little darkness, a little sexiness.” – Jennifer Weil

Backstage at Paco Rabanne RTW Spring 2019

“The inspiration for this season’s hair is very inspired by a sort of woman that’s traveled a lot, quite an ethnic feeling to the hair. She’s traveled to India,” said Paul Hanlon. “It’s quite controlled hair, very, very tight. We’re using a lot of water in the hair to make it feel like she’s sweat a lot. There’s just this little detail in the back, of a little braid that opens up into this… almost undone kind of braided knot at the back. So it’s quite eclectic. There’s a bit of a Bollywood feel to it, as well. It’s very simple but quite strict, as well, at the same time.” – Jennifer Weil

Backstage at Mugler RTW Spring 2019

Hairstylist Jawara Wauchope had “effortless, powerful” women in mind when creating the look of the Mugler show, which was actually looks – plural – since each model was given her own. “We’re doing different looks on each girl, what their version of a cool, effortless hairstyle would be,” he explained. “Some girls are getting haircuts. We did some bang trims. We’re doing braids, some cornrows. We are doing slick-backed parts, some masculine parts. It depends on the girl.” – Jennifer Weil

Backstage at Jacquemus RTW Spring 2019

Ramona Eschbach created a few different looks for the Jacquemus spring show, which was inspired by the French Riviera. She had in mind wealthy girls who vacation there. Some models’ tresses were parted in the center and blown dry. “It’s like they go to the salon to get their hair done,” she said. Another coif involved messy topknots and then a third had a voluminous, curly style. Eschbach said with the show’s strong makeup it was nice to have hair not be too done. She worked with L’Oréal Paris products, such as Elnett hairspray.  — Jennifer Weil

Backstage at Dior RTW Spring 2019

Hairstylist Guido Palau wrapped models’ tresses around their heads for the Christian Dior spring show. “It’s a way of getting rid of the hair, but [also] making it feel a little dancelike in a contemporary kind of experimental way,” he said. “Like Pina Bausch or something. Every girl has got a different headband. It is actually very beautiful in itself.” To get the smooth look, Palau used Redken products, including Forceful 23 Super Strength Hairspray and Fashion Work 12 Hairspray. — Jennifer Weil

Backstage at Giorgio Armani RTW Spring 2019

The Aldo Coppola Agency was briefed to create a look mimicking a naturally ruffled short haircut. For this reason, models’ manes was first curled with blow-dryers and different types of irons to get undefined, loose curls. The hair was then divided into smaller wisps, which were each slightly backcombed before being rolled up and fixed with no precise order on the top of the head with bobby pins. Key products included the Kérastase Densifique treatment mousse, the Redken Fashion Waves sea salt spray and the Shu Uemura Sheer Lacquer finishing spray. — Sandra Salibian

Backstage at Missoni RTW Spring 2019

The look Anthony Turner conceived referenced archival images of Yohji Yamamoto, which also popped up in the moodboard of the show. “It’s a kind of homage to the mid-Nineties: very minimal, very precise, very graphic,” he said, adding that he wanted to deliver an “Eastern kind of silky, shiny, straight hair” to balance the rich textures and fabrics of the collection.

All the models’ hair was filled with extensions, centrally parted and, once dampened, treated with the Moroccanoil Root Boost spray and the Moroccanoil Treatment oil. Blow-dried with the Dyson hair drier and perfected with straightening irons, the mane was then styled by pulling back tresses on each side over the top of the ears and securing them in the back with a band. To heighten the geometric effect, extensions were cut with razors into a hard line on the back while the Moroccanoil strong hairspray was spritzed profusely to fix the look. — Sandra Salibian

Backstage at Roberto Cavalli RTW Spring 2019

“We’re stripping away the glamour, we’re making the girls way more street… more raw, more real,” said hairstylist Duffy ahead of the show. The hair was loosened and brought behind the ears, with little volume in the slicked roots and more movement throughout the lengths, which were blow-dried with a diffuser and additionally worked with curling irons in different measures. Key products included the Oribe Volumista mist for luster, the Wella Professionals EIMI Perfect Setting lotion spray and the Bb. Strong Finish hairspray from Bumble and bumble. “If you look back, historically Cavalli has always been about bigger hair… but working with the new design team, we’re going in a new direction. This is the kind of girl you want to see walking down the street and girls want to look like,” said Duffy. — Sandra Salibian

Backstage at MSGM RTW Spring 2019

Anthony Turner took the “dreamer” theme of the collection literally, sending models on the catwalk with a look “that feels like it’s been slept on,” he said. The texture was the one constant throughout, as each model kept their natural hair type. To create their matte, day-old-grungy bed-head versions, Turner worked the L’Orèal Professionnel TecniArt Pli and the Wild Stylers Beach Waves spray through his hands and dried the manes gently with a diffuser. — Sandra Salibian

Backstage at Etro RTW Spring 2019

“Surfer girl hair” was the brief James Pecis shared about the easy, relaxed hairdo for the show. To wit, every model’s hair was prepped with a volumizing product before powder was applied at the roots to give it texture. As a final touch, spray wax was spritzed to deliver a heavy clumpiness. In some cases, a one-inch curling iron waved the tresses that were then loosened by hand. — Sandra Salibian

Backstage at Antonio Marras RTW 2019

James Pecis created a statement look for the show, elevating a slicked-back, low ponytail by shaping tresses into voluminous structures.

“We just wanted the hair to be really refined and clean, and each one a little bit individual,” he said about rolling hair in different ways on the head of each model. Powdery products were applied on the mane to give it texture and favor backcombing while strong hairspray abounded to fix the volumes. Accessories including golden butterflies were added to visually balance the structures, which infused the overall look with retro vibes. — Sandra Salibian

Backstage at Prada RTW Spring 2019

“Boyish kinds of girls” were on Guido Palau’s mind while creating the hairstyle for the show. Models sported slicked-back hair tied in a low ponytail while extensions were added on the top and trimmed with razors to create short bangs, in what appeared to be a nod to actress Jean Seberg’s look.
Palau used Redken products, including Redken Satinwear to blow-dry the hair and the Fashion Work 02 hairspray, while statement headbands — in colorful satin, with patterned prints, as well as embellished with crystals, sequins, studs and ribbons — were added as a final touch. — Sandra Salibian

Backstage at Fendi RTW Spring 2018

Victorian updos met Seventies vibes in the tight, twisted topknot with side curls Sam McKnight created for the show. “We found a picture of Twiggy, inspired by the Victorian [era] but it’s very youthful at the same time, almost doll-like,” he said. The Hair by Sam McKnight Modern Hairspray was the key product used throughout the whole process to tighten the hair, twist it in the knot and fix the side wisps, previously defined with a curling iron. Extensions were occasionally used on models with short hair to create a little braid on top filling out the knot and obtaining a similar effect and proportion on every model. “This is a look that works on every girl.…It’s universally flattering: Every hairline, every hair type,” he said. — Sandra Salibian

Backstage at Alberta Ferretti RTW Spring 2019

“Alberta [Ferretti] is always about pretty girls. She’s got a very beautiful cast, so it’s just about emphasizing their beauty, bringing out their natural texture,” hairstylist Guido Palau said backstage.
To achieve a loose, cool look, which also “has a little bit of tomboy-ishness in it,” Palau used two Redken products. First he applied No Blow Dry cream into damp hair and let it get dry naturally. Then he added a little bit of Redken Wind Blown 05 Dry Finishing hairspray to give more texture to the mane, which he parted in the middle.
“The new No Blow Dry cream has three different strengths so there’s something for every hair type,” Palau explained. “If someone has straight hair, the cream brings out any movement. If it’s still a little straight, I [use] the curling iron just to bend it a little bit.” — Sandra Salibian

Backstage at Jil Sander RTW Spring 2019

The crumbling, largely roofless factory, with plants growing out of cracks in tiled floors, was the venue for the Jil Sander show and it inspired hairstylist Eugene Souleiman.
“I wanted to do something that had the strength of something very minimal with the softness of nature,” he said backstage, describing “hair that at one point was perfect and then a bit of moisture and a bit of sweat brought something else to the look.”
Working with Wella Professionals products, he spritzed Shine spray on the roots to give a “two-days-old” effect to the hair — “it’s not dirty but it’s not clean, it’s kind of lived,” he said — while the Wella Professionals Eimi Ocean Spritz was used on girls with straight hair to get more texture on the ends. “On some of the Asian girls, we used hairspray underneath the hair to make it flatter and then stuck natural hair on the top of it, so it’s contained, but you don’t see the product. It’s almost invisible,” he noted. — Sandra Salibian

Backstage at Simone Rocha RTW Spring 2019

“Simone described the girls as being like an angsty teen dressed in her Sunday best, but in her mother’s clothes,” said hairstylist James Pecis, who also re-created hairstyles synonymous to the Qing dynasty, Rocha’s seasonal inspiration. Hair was backcombed for extra height and curled into a single or a double roll. – Samantha Tse

Backstage at Erdem RTW Spring 2019

Hairstylist Anthony Turner created a modern take on Victorian hair. He kept the hair quite austere by parting it down the center and added interest by merging three braids into one large plait. – Samantha Tse

Backstage at Mary Katrantzou RTW Spring 2019

“We’re channeling ‘Little House on the Prairie’ but with contrasting textures,” said hairstylist John Vial. Low ponytails were pulled over the ears and Vial softened the look by creating a hazy Mohawk and letting loose stray wisps of hair. – Samantha Tse

Backstage at Marc Jacobs RTW Spring 2019

Global color creative director for Redken, Josh Wood, colored 37 models’ hair for Marc Jacobs’ show, looking to “pastel” and “antique” colors, like rose gold, brassy yellow and blue. Lead hairstylist Guido Palau created three hairstyles, all revolving around an idea of an “egg” shape. “We know how to offset cool natural hair, and again like last season it was a really finished woman, which is something Marc really wanted to emphasize again,” Palau said. Looking to women of the Sixties as inspiration, many models sported a chignon, which was raised in the front to mimic an egg shape. The shape was also given to models with bob-length hair by giving more volume to the front of the hair. Other models either came in with buzzed hair or willingly had their hair shaved off for the look. — Layla Ilchi

Savage x Fenty RTW Spring 2019

“You guys are like, what up b–ch?” said Yusef Williams, Rihanna’s longtime hairstylist and the hair lead for Savage x Fenty. Williams said he was deciding each models’ look on the spot, but generally, he wanted the models to have “sleek, but sharp and sexy” hair and the dancers — yes, there were dancers — to have “a little bit of magic involved.” 

Of the show’s diverse casting, he said, “I always wanted to use everybody. If you know how to do hair, you know how to do hair. That’s just how I look at it. Doesn’t matter if it’s black, white, Asian, whatever. Hair is hair. You just gotta know how much to apply.” — Alexa Tietjen

Backstage at Michael Kors RTW Fall 2018

Hair — “surfer hair,” rather — was focused on natural textures and individuality, including braids, cornrows and head wraps. “We’ve been telling people to come in with their hair wet, sleep with it damp so you wake up and it’s weird waves sticking out,” said Pita. “That’s the kind of thing we want.” — Alexa Tietjen

Backstage at Oscar de la Renta RTW Spring 2019

Moroccanoil artistic director Kevin Hughes created sleek, pin-straight middle-parted low ponytail secured at the nape of the neck. — Ellen Thomas

Backstage at Rodarte RTW Spring 2019

Backstage at Rodarte RTW Spring Working with florist Joseph Free, lead TRESemmé hairstylist Odile Gilbert gave models a wild, ethereal style that was decorated with a large assortment of flowers and jewelry. “Everyone needs romance, so here we are!” she said. After creating a loose wave, Gilbert gave the hair a messy, whimsical feel with generous amounts of TRESemmé dry shampoo and hair spray before adorning the hair with the accessories that matched the models’ clothing. — Layla Ilchi

Backstage at Chromat RTW Spring 2019

Led by Kien Hoang for Oribe, Chromat included six different hair looks mainly centering around wet hair. While some models were seen wearing swim caps, Hoang used Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray to give baby hairs a wet look that were then draped around the face. Others were given partial or a full head of braids, which were decorated with clear beads. — Layla Ilchi

Backstage at Anna Sui RTW Spring 2019

“The look is kind of all over the place,” said lead hairstylist Garren, who led the look for R+Co. “The models are travelers. These girls are in wonderland.” Garren created six looks for the show, with the most prominent being a forward-facing bun meant to mimic a turban. Using R+Co Waterfall and Neon Lights, Garren gave the hair some added texture to get separation and a sturdy hold before tying the hair into a ponytail and wrapping it into a bun. — Layla Ilchi

Backstage at Tibi RTW Spring 2019

For hair, things were equally minimal, but with a DIY twist featuring barrettes. Frank Rizzieri said he combed through every CVS in Lower Manhattan to buy hundreds of packs of them. “It’s really all about keeping the natural texture of the hair,” he said. “We’re taking barrettes and randomly putting them in. If they’re a little wonky, it’s OK. If it was too symmetrical and planned it wouldn’t look good.” — Alexa Tietjen

Hair at Eckhaus Latta RTW Spring 2019

Holli Smith, working with Dyson and Redken, used single strands from hair extensions to create an exaggerated “wispy,” multilength hairstyle for the Eckhaus Latta show, held in a Bushwick warehouse. Said Smith of the Eckhaus Latta runway, “This is the place where you get to do crazier things.” — Ellen Thomas

Hair at Monse RTW Spring 2019

Inspired by the collection’s nautical theme, Pasquale Ferrante for Amika created a sleek knotted hairstyle for the female models. “The collection is ropes and knots, so this still has the feeling of being by the beach, but it’s not so gritty. It’s nice and chic.” — Ellen Thomas

Hair at Brandon Maxwell RTW Spring 2019

To complement the show’s “All-American Texas tailgate theme,” hairstylist James Pecis, working with Dyson and Oribe, alternated between two hairstyles — “big Texas blowout” and sleek chignons held in place with corkscrews. “The corkscrew is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek,” said Pecis. 

Backstage at Tom Ford RTW Spring 2019

With headscarves designed by Ford, Orlando Pita gave models a slicked back messy bun before methodically tying the scarf in place. “It should be in the middle of your forehead, slightly above the eyebrows, cover your ears and tie it in the back [horizontally],” he said. On the kind of bun he created, he said: “I want it to be chunky messy pieces and it shouldn’t look like a doughnut. Some people are bringing me a doughnut with fuzzy bits and that’s a different type of messy than we’re looking for.” — Layla Ilchi

Backstage at Jeremy Scott RTW Spring 2019

“I’m trying to do something very real for Jeremy, which he hasn’t had,” said Eugene Souleiman for Wella. “Last season, it was geometric, glow-in-the-dark wigs. This season is the complete opposite of that. It’s cool hair.” — Alexa Tietjen

Backstage at Mara Hoffman RTW Spring 2019

Natural textures were emphasized at the show, with straight hair given some frizz and curls either brushed to the point of fluff or left in tact. “It’s all about the girls’ personality — their features, their haircut,” said Gareth Bromell, who led hair for Evo. — Allison Collins

Backstage at Carolina Herrera RTW Spring 2019

“Effortless, light, clean, innocent hair,” is how Odile Gilbert for TRESemmé described the simplistic, middle-parted hairstyles she crafted for the Carolina Herrera show. “It’s really natural. The idea was to have fresh hair, like a young girl with untouched hair.” —Ellen Thomas

Backstage at Prabal Gurung RTW Spring 2019

Anthony Turner for Wella created two different looks for hair. Most girls were prepped with Wella products before their hair was blow-dried into a piecey, messy state. Others sported cornrows. 

Backstage at 3.1 Phillip Lim RTW Spring 2019

Lead hair stylist Gary Gill interpreted Lim’s inspiration of Moroccan influences by creating a simple hair look. “It’s about a confident girl who is happy to wear her hair away from her face and have her face exposed,” he said. On most models, Gill created a middle part and swept the hair away from the face to give it a natural, flowing texture. He achieved the texture by using an array of products, including Bumble and bumble Prep, Aveda Control Force Hair Spray and Wella Ocean Spritz Beach Texture Hairspray. — Layla Ilchi