Couture hairstyles took an elegant twist for the spring 2026 season.
At Viktor & Rolf, Olivier Schawalder crafted two braids that arced around models’ faces then wrapped around their necks. He dreamt up a small-head coif, due to all the clothing changes taking during the show.
“We wanted to do something ‘nun’-like in a V&R aesthetic,” Schawalder said. “I wanted to do something different than a simple center part with a bun. Then I came in with the braid around the neck that finished the look.
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“We had to think of the main character, who was flying at the end, and did a maxi version of the nuns,” he continued, referring to the model who took off in a kite at the finale.
For Tamara Ralph, hairstylist Luke Pluckrose was inspred by the designer’s inspriation. “She mentioned a delicate Asian influence, which I really ran with when developing this look,” Pluckrose said.
Ralph showed him all her fashion sketches, which he considered as artwork unto themselves. “I noticed super-high top knots throughout the drawings,” he said. “The figures were extremely elongated, making the models appear incredibly tall, and we wanted to bring that feeling to life through a highly sculpted bun.
“By creating a super-clean, sculpted shape, we felt it would gently enhance that elongated silhouette,” Pluckrose said. “We then added some structured pieces of hair to give definition and shape, offering a subtle nod to the Asian influence within the collection. For me, the look always has to feel elegant and beautiful, and truly complement Tamara’s stunning work.”
Elegant hairstyles were also noted at Chanel, Dior, Gaurav Gupta, Phan Huy, Rahul Mishra, RVDK Ronald van der Kemp, Schiaparelli, Stéphane Rolland, Yiuma Nakazato, Valentino and Zuhair Murad.