Paint, plumes, wigs and wefts: Backstage artists injected megawatt color into styles both intricate and straightforward using a spectrum of mediums. Fluorescent roots at Dries Van Noten came by their hue via marabou feathers that hair lead Sam McKnight shellacked into place using gusts of hairspray. Migrating his vivid pigment further down the strands, hair lead Julien d’Ys haphazardly swiped slashes of hair paint along models’ mid-lengths at Marni—and then showered the roots in metallic glitter. Wildly shagged wigs in shocking shades like chartreuse and electric blue lent a punk edge to the Rag & Bone show, while glowing braids in acid orange and lime green at Bora Aksu acted as psychedelic headbands.
Taking the idea of glowing wefts a step beyond, Redken global creative director Guido Palau wrapped custom-dyed vibrant red extensions into a labyrinthine pattern at Alexander McQueen, a style he deems “sophisticated, dangerous and quite couture.” The colorist behind the eye-vibrating crimson, Redken global color creative director Josh Wood, notes that the red needed to create a “strong impact in small amounts.” To achieve this feat, he explains, “It’s similar to painting a nail. You have to layer colors over a base coat to get your desired effect. If you try to paint on a red directly, it can go too orange or a bit too yellow—to get a really intense red, it’s about layering one color on top of another.” The end result? Absolutely electrifying.
