Ah, the Big Apple where dreams are made of and going by the looks we’ve seen for the SS ’24 shows, a place too where you can manifest your beauty fantasies into reality. There were Renaissance beauties at Markarian, modern mermaids at Head of State, and life-mimics-art human sculptures at Marrisa Wilson but what do these -cores have in common? The coifs in all their reverie and pomp were shaped by Oribe’s two bigwigs: Mandee Tauber, its Artist of Global Content, and Kien Hoang, its Principal Artist of Global Design.
Here, both take us through the inspiration for each of the shows they did and of course, an at-home guide for those of us with Asian hair. Scroll through for your own viewing pleasure and of course, try to pick a favourite for your whole new look come the season.
Modern Fingers Waves at Markarian
Mandee: “I drew inspiration from old vintage glamour photographs of New York City in the ’40s and I love this look for social events such as parties or galas that require a bit more glam. It’s best suited for anyone comfortable wearing their hair up and away from the face in a sleeker fashion.”
“There is no hair loosely falling around the face to create softness, therefore this is definitely a statement for the bold but still a style that flatters any face shape.”
“This style can be easily achieved on Asian hair using the right products for longevity and using a finishing spray to hold it in place, specifically the Superfine Hair Spray ($60, 300ml).”
Grunge Waves at Dauphinette
Mandee: “I used visual references from the 90’s grunge era which had bands such as Hole and Nirvana and this look is easy to achieve at home with a curling or flat iron. The styling focus is more from the mids to ends with a super minimal bend in the hair. This look is perfect for everyday wear and can easily go from day to night. It also works well with all face shapes and lengths of hair because of the looser finish.”
“The waves are easy to maintain throughout the day when using a styling product. I recommend Très Set Structure Spray ($70, 300ml) for lasting memory and hold.”
Out of Water Mermaid Hair at Head of State
Kien: “The designer showed me visual images of the everyday people of Lagos, Nigeria who had cornrow braids. The story was about his father’s journey from Lagos, Nigeria to Spain, sailing illegally across the sea on a boat in search of a better future in the west.”
“The extended floor length full head box braided sections are meant to imagine mermaids coming out of the water with a centre part. For individual models with short hair—male and female—I incorporated an extended single box braid on one side behind the left ear to have a cohesive look.”
“With Asian hair, you can achieve the look by either braiding the hair with box braids in sections and extending each braid, or just simply slicking the hair back and doing one single extended braided look behind the left ear. This look can be worn at a special evening event or at music festivals. You can dress it up or keep it casual and it’s best done on someone confident even to have hair off their face and expose their eyebrows, face structure and angles.”
“It’s easy to keep the look throughout the day as it’ll keep its structure. With add-ins, you can wear it for a week. Use Gold Lust Dry Shampoo ($70, 286ml) to keep your scalp clean and when you’re done with the style, just unbraid your hair.”
Graduated Graphic Bob at Marrisa Wilson
Mandee: “The look references art and music and thus, the hair shapes were architecturally sculpted to mirror Marisa’s hand-painted fashion illustrations that were hung on canvases next to the models during the show. I referenced her illustrations and created shapes for each model, which is why there are many different shapes of high-graduated bobs to expose the neck and accentuate the collection. The jazzy music influenced the feel of the collection and show.”
“This look can be achieved best on someone with Asian hair who already has a bob and wants to architecturally enhance the bob cut with the product. It also works on all face shapes! You can switch up the parting on either side or in the centre to best fit yours.”
“It can be easily maintained with products like the Superfine Hair Spray ($60, 300ml).”
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