Riding High

May 7th, 2012

Sean James and Joico whip up dressage chic at Monarchy’s New York Fashion Week debut.

Designer: Monarchy

Products: Joico

Imagine the formal nature of a dressage rider’s attire made more contemporary by way of dashing denim, natty vests and a puffer jacket or
two, and you have Monarchy’s “Smoke & Mirrors: Scottish Equestrian Rides” collection. The L.A.-based company’s new, sophisticated bent bodes well for posh gents and ladies looking for countryside elegance with a bit of edge.

“The clothes are very tailored—think British schoolboy meets French aristocrat,” asserts Los Angeles super-stylist Sean James, who’s teaming up with Joico to create the corresponding hairstyles. The men’s hair rides high, taking an abundant amount of Joico Design Collection Forming Polish to lend a “finish that’s polished, yet full of texture,” explains James. “This product really sets, and I’m not combing it through, but rather almost back-combing it in with a fine-tooth comb. You get a better result if you use the fine end.”

James paints this picture for the girls: “She rides dressage and likes to date princes,” he quips. Her hair? “Because most of the girls are wearing pom-pomed, Buckingham-ish hats, I’m doing a low side-pony that’s undone and knotted at the nape,” James says. He spritzes on Texture Spray for workable texture, gathers the hair to the right-hand side and twists the hair into itself, leaving a splay of strands hanging free. A few passes of Design Collection Flexible Shaping Spray set the frizzies. Of the style, James notes, “This is anti-hair that’s slightly dressed; it’s something anyone can wear and look sophisticated.” —Karie L. Frost