This season Francois Fortin, Education Director at New York City's landmark Salon Ziba has teamed up with colorist Colin Christopher to create a fresh, updated take on the iconic bob, the Soft-Bob, a modern, breezy look for Spring and Summer 2015.
The duo work on Salon Ziba's upstairs floor. A gracious, tranquil escape (with its own private entrance) is a destination for beauty insiders in search of flawlessly-executed haircuts, color, braiding, undoes, hair extensions, facials and manicures and pedicures. A specialty of the salon's ground floor is the fast track blow-dry performed by highly experienced stylists to create more individual, personalized looks.
Francois Fortin's Soft Bob:
"As clients come in for shorter summer looks, variation of the bob rule," explains Fortin, "though now influenced by the airiness of lobs and texturized elements of tousled looks. For fine-haired clients especially, this remains the most flattering, freshest and most wearable look --and easiest to style and grow out over time.
An accomplished master of European cutting techniques and subtle, sexy styles, French-born Fortin created the hybrid Soft-Bob to combine the linear impact of a graphic bob, loosened with subtle layers and softened ends.
"It looks and feels as breezy and light as summer itself," explained Fortin, "and combines styling versatility, texture, volume and sensual movement."
Colin Christopher's Ray of Sun Balayage - New Fast Track Lunch-Hour Highlighting for Summer Styles:
"Natural-looking, buttery pastel blondes are especially right this summer," said Christopher, "and this Ray of Sun Balayage technique makes them look even richer and more luminous, especially in the summer sun. I created the technique to accent a wide range of bobs and lobs, and was inspired by the soft textural accents that Francois cut into the Soft-Bob."
To create Ray of Sun Balayage, he takes large, triangular sections of hair, then paints highlights of corresponding lightener on each one. He uses a signature paintbrush from his local hardware store, which allows him to penetrate color more deeply on the surface of each panel, for a soft, diffuse result.
Christopher prefers to lift no more than 1 1/2 level and the technique works to created a full range of blonde, red and brunette highlights. The shimmering look is designed to blend more naturally as it grows out, takes less time to do than traditional full-balayage techniques and can be quickly created during a client's lunch break.
The result? Subtle overlapping triangles of buttery-soft color that accent the light-catching layers cut in by Francois Fortin - radiant as hair is beautifully texturized by the summer breeze.
Continue to page 2 for step-by-step instructions on how to create the look! [pagebreak]
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[Images courtesy of David Webber]
