Spring 2017 Beauty Trend Report: Blunt, Structured Styles Vs. Natural, Undone Hair

Date March 3, 2017

When Guido Palau posted a photo of the bob he gave to model Nimue Smit backstage at Prada, the clean, smooth style that ended just below her chin suggested that the pendulum was swinging back. He gave the cut to seven models in total, and finished the look with a single bobby pin, holding a deep side part in place. Though Palau described it as a “palate cleanser” from all the extreme hair and makeup, for us the graphic simplicity suggested a new direction. After seasons of natural, just rolled out of bed hair, Smit’s chop was breaking off from the herd. At Acne, Eugene Souleiman was also in the same headspace, creating hairstyles that were texture-free, describing the hair as “so perfect it looks synthetic.” Even in styles that were pulled off the face, there was a sense of structure. Palau’s top knots at Dior had firmly woven French braids snaking up the back and at Givenchy, he molded the hair using gel.

But I-woke-up-like-this hair is far from over. There was beach bum inspired texture at Alexander Wang, where the chunky matte texture came courtesy of beach spray. The tousled sexy waves at Tommy Hilfiger were also meant to emulate an outdoor, California vibe. And at Antonio Berardi, Tina Outen styled the hair to be like the models’ own, but enhanced. To do that, she twisted every girl’s hair in a casual low bun, which remained in place until just before the models hit the catwalk. When it came undone, it was polished, with natural texture.