Guido Palau on Fashion Week’s Biggest Hair Trends and How to Recreate Them

Guido Palau is nestled in the corner of a brocade couch in the dining room of La Galerie at Paris’s Four Seasons Hotel George V. While drinking a cup of tea, the legendary hairstylist and global creative director for Redken admits that he’s never been to Canada. “I know, terrible,” he says.

It’s day three of Paris Fashion Week, and the 56-year-old Brit is still composed and energetic even though it’s late in the fashion month marathon. He estimates he’s backstage six or seven times a year now, including Resort, Couture and Pre-Fall. He works with heavyweight houses like Prada and Dior and hits every major city during the ready-to-wear circuit. “I’ve worked with most of the designers for a long time,” he says, “and I understand each one’s woman.”

“Sometimes it’s for women to look at shows and just dream. That dream will carry them through, and they can take bits from there.”

The overarching message for the 21 shows Palau led over the Spring 2019 season is that “done hair” has returned. But these more labour-intensive looks don’t signal that individuality and naturalness are things of the past. “We’re not going back to an era of conformity where if you don’t have teased French twists, you’re not socially acceptable,” he says.

What is not going away is a desire for escapism. “Fash­ion is about fantasy,” says Palau. From his dramatic cuts to his severe sculptural styles and love of hair accessories, this season adds up to just the right amount of futuristic drama. “Sometimes it’s for women to look at shows and just dream,” he says. “That dream will carry them through, and they can take bits from there.”

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Photo by Imaxtree

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Fashion Week Hair Trends: Prada Spring 2019

At Prada, the hair was slicked back with Redken’s Forceful 23 hairspray and oversized leather headbands with micro-bangs pulled through in the front. “The fringe makes the look powerful.”