Bonjour, Mademoiselle

May 4th, 2012

Profound Beauty rewinds, taking style notes from the past to coif the dolls at Doucette Duvall.

Designer: Doucette Duvall

Products: Profound Beauty

Behind the closed doors of a Ritz Carlton suite in Manhattan, prim beauties flit about outfitted in colorful shifts reminiscent of Parisian designer André Courreges’ mod creations. Some perch mannequin-like atop plush chairs marked by celadon brocade; others stare vacantly out the windows at a foggy Central Park. Being among these perfect beings transports you to another time—‘60s Paris, according to Doucette Duvall’s designers, Annebet Duvall and Stephanie Doucette.

There is something eerily flawless about these girls—and it’s not the time warp. “We want the girls to look too perfect, like Stepford wives,” Duvall confides. Not too difficult, as the smartly tailored frocks pair seamlessly with doll-like makeup and pristine updos—a trés chic look that exudes perfection.

Working exclusively with Profound Beauty, lead hairstylist Beth Astin whips these dolls’ locks into a variety of couture coiffures: some swirl into polished chignons; others loop gracefully into plump ponytails with nary a hair out of place. “The designers gave us photographs that have that sexy, ’60s Parisian, Brigitte Bardot look, and we built off of that—styles with a high crown, curls and texture,” says Astin. “The main idea is to keep the styles tight and away from the face,” Astin continues, “yet with a lot of teasing for height and curling for body.”

Also pumping up the volume: Profound’s Stylist Volume Power. “It sprays out of the bottle at 75 miles an hour or something crazy like that,” laughs Astin. As editors weave from vignette to vignette, observing these immaculate reine de beautés, Astin says, “It’s just nice to see a return to polished beauty.”