Thursday, May 15, 2014

The Looks That Go Straight to Their Heads





Last week, as designers and their famous muses walked the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the gala opening of the Charles James fashion exhibition, it wasn't only the parade of elaborate gowns that captured the attention of Twitter, Instagram and dozens of fashion blogs.

Hair and its various twists, turns, braids and waves were also coveted (and imitated) immediately.

'We're in a moment where everything is instant,' said John Barrett, founder of the salon perched atop Bergdorf Goodman that bears his name. 'The way hair is being worn, the conversation is quick and it's either lethal or delightful.'

It used to be that clients would head to salons clutching tear-outs of celebrity 'dos from magazines, Mr. Barrett said. It could take several weeks for a certain style, whether that of Farrah Fawcett or Jennifer Aniston, to make its way to the masses. Today, he said, the salon offers iPads to guests for referencing and browsing, or 'people will come in with their iPhones, pull up an image and say, 'Can we do this or can we do that?' '

The Met gala was held on Monday night. By Tuesday, Mr. Barrett said, a couple of the salon's clients had already requested styles seen at the event: Emma Stone's almost-casual side braid and Blake Lively's Veronica Lake waves, which incorporated a Joan Crawford 'victory roll.'

Ms. Lively's Old Hollywood style has been a hit at Drybar locations in Los Angeles and New York. 'I'll check in with my stylists the day after an event to see what trends women are gravitating to,' said Alli Webb, founder of the blow-dry chain. 'Also, sometimes, a look might catch on later. It might be popular on Pinterest and then the magazines later pick it up.'

Though most of the hairstyles are nothing new, Mr. Barrett said, 'what happens is that now somebody who comes in can identify it easily. The client is doing a lot of the research for you.'

Certainly, timing also played a part. The days after the Met event were filled with spring galas and fashion parties, said Lauren Remington Platt, founder of Vensette, an on-demand hair and makeup service based in Manhattan. For parties the following Wednesday and Thursday nights, Ms. Platt noticed a number of clients were asking for the ' Cara Delevingne ' (the British model wore side-parted springy curls held back by a clip on one side to the big event). 'Hair is trend-driven,' Ms. Platt said, whereas with makeup, 'most clients prefer a pretty and classic look.'

Yet, perhaps expectedly, nowhere is the red-carpet influence felt more than along the ultimate walkway: the bridal aisle. With wedding season nearly in full swing, Ms. Platt said, many brides at their initial hair trials have been requesting the Jennifer Lawrence updo from the actress's 2013 Oscar win. The simple chignon, pulled back low, has been Vensette's best-selling bridal look for a few seasons now, Ms. Platt said. But she said she wouldn't be surprised if it will be usurped by the polished '20s-style updos worn by Jessica Alba and Karlie Kloss at the Met, adding, 'Expect side parts and plenty of volume.'

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