Recreate Petra Nemcova's Cascading Waves

Image: Getty Images/Gilbert Carrasquillo

Model and philanthropist Petra Nemcova looked radiant on the Fragrance Foundation Awards runway, wearing a glamorous, silver, beaded gown and a vintage, waved hairstyle look created by celebrity hairstylist Felix Fischer for Pai-Shau.

“Petra’s gown was pure glam,” says Fischer, “and inspired me to do a modern, long-haired take on the vintage, flat-waved flapper textures of the 20’s and 30’s. We typically see this kind of flapper effect on shorter styles and it’s more unique for longer hair - and looks very beautiful. And its glossy, vibrant texture made it very now.
 
“We wanted a look that wasn’t voluminous but flat and tight to the head. Typically these kinds of smaller waved looks are hard to do since they can mat, frizz or look sticky or frozen. I also wanted Petra’s hair to look completely glossy without looking heavy or stiff, especially under the lights and to photograph nicely as it moved.”

Get the Look:

  1. “I started by washing her hair with Pai-Shau Hydrating Ritual Replenishing Hair Cleanser and conditioning with Pai-Shau Design Ritual Supreme Revitalizing Mask," says Fischer. "Petra’s hair can sometimes be dry and it needed moisture without weight.
  2. “Then I applied a few pumps of Pai-Shau Enhance Ritual Biphasic Infusion to create a weightless, smooth, frizz-free base and applied Pai-Shau Design Ritual Royal Abundance Mousse from root to end to softly hold the textured shape.
  3. “Next, I made a side part and dried the hair loosely with a round brush.
  4. “After hair drying, I mixed Pai-Shau Design Ritual Royal Abundance Mousse and Pai-Shau Design Ritual Style Soufflé together and applied it on dry hair. Since they are not sticky, only moist, they dry in less than a minute and you can work on the hair without having to dry it again.
  5. “Once product was in the hair, I used a ½-inch curling iron, taking about one-inch square sections starting at the back. I twisted each section, wrapped it around the curling iron and quickly released the hair, making sure to leave the bottom inch of hair untouched to give a more modern editorial look.
  6. “To complete styling, I finger-brushed hair, and then mixed Pai-Shau Enhance Ritual Biphasic Infusion and Pai-Shau Design Ritual Style Soufflé in the palm of my hand and finger-combed the hair to tone down the volume and shape the waves.
  7. “I finished with a light spray of Pai-Shau Design Ritual Imperial Hold Hairspray to keep hair in place, especially on the parted side that was pulled flat behind the ear. I actually used a good amount of hairspray to keep the look in place while keeping the hair looking product-free.”
More in Styles