ghd
x Eugene Souleiman:
Dion Lee at NYFW SS'19
Go behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week with ghd and Eugene Souleiman.
Known for his ‘technical’ but ‘intelligent sensuality’, Dion Lee combined experimentational construction with traditional tailoring to create a look which was mirrored by the hair created by Eugene Souleiman, ghd Fashion Week ambassador.
The collection had a compartmentalised feel with inspiration drawn from the world of wearable but aspirational fashion. In a wardrobe of blushed pink, chic blacks and glamorous reds, the hairstyles created evoked a paradoxical but complimentary toughness. Eugene Souleiman created a look that “took the ‘lady’ out of the clothes” by adding tension and attitude to the hair with hidden braids that were subtly but intentionally placed throughout. The hair was “not masculine, just tougher. The intention is stronger. More assertive, slightly aggressive. It’s not a ‘pretty’ ponytail – there’s nothing dainty about this look.” The braids existed to add texture and volume to the hair but weren’t placed to be visible to the naked eye.
On his inspiration, Eugene said “There’s no era - It’s timeless. I wanted it to feel like something quite new and lateral but not in a weird or Avant-Guard way. There’s something there that shouldn’t be there, but it actually works.”
The 'Hidden Braids' Technique
To create this “new take on minimalism and texture”, Eugene used Wella’s EIMI styling range, choosing Cocktail Me, a heavy crafting oil and pairing it with both the lighter oil, Oil Spritz for shine and Ocean Spritz, for texture. “There’s a raw texture that’s combined in to something quite tight.”
Eugene then used the ghd curve® creative curl wand to add movement to the look where required, focusing on adding kinks and bends to the hair to help frame the face. The ghd platinum+ styler was used to create rigidity to the up-dos and add body where needed. Scraping hair back, Eugene used his fingers to pull the hair back in a loose and informal way and then secure with some added heat using the ghd air® hair dryer.
Eugene championed agility and the ability to think visually - whilst microbraids and the tough attitude were key, there’s no ‘right’ way to create the look: “We’re working in a very visual way. There are no key steps. It’s about looking at what you have and working with that; being very, very free in your approach, as opposed to being overly technical.”
“We’ve stumbled on something here that could evolve in to something else. I know there’s mileage here for something else.” Eugene was keen to add. “This type of look is the beginning of something. You’ll see it again, evolved, but it’s a technique we’re keen to improve upon”
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