The Braid Parade:
Fashion Week’s Prettiest Plaits

By: Angie Sterkel

Plaits. Twists. Fishtails. Weaves. Knots. Whatever you call them, braids ruled the runways at Fall Fashion Week. Master weavers with dexterous fingers got busy backstage, crafting spectacular crisscrossed coifs at a number of shows. Here are a few of our faves.

Candela | Prairie Chic
At Candela, a braided ‘do was the perfect complement to a collection characterized as hippie-meets-prairie chic. There, models wore mussed-up, softly teased tresses girdled by criss-crossed headband braids.

Ann Yee | Upside-Down Edge
Braids became prehistoric at the Ann Yee show thanks to ION Studio’s Marcos Diaz. Models’ hair was French braided from the nape up, while the ends were styled into rick-racked, pouffed fringes. “I wanted to create a Jurassic look that was still tangible and modern,” Marcos says. He created the look by priming hair with Davines For Wizards No. 13 Mat Forming Ground for a matte texture. Next he created an inside-out braid (a reverse French braid) from the nape to the front hair line, pinning it to the top of the head and leaving out the ends. He then divided the ends, rick-racked them with bobby pins, and pressed them between the plates of a flat iron. Once set, Marcos removed the pins and teased the hair, finishing with Davines Defining Invisible Hairspray.

Betsey Johnson | Sleek Minimalism
Aveda’s Jon Reyman styled understated hair for the Betsey Johnson show, opting for a clean side-braid. “The looks mimic the long, straight silhouettes of the ’60s and complement the clothing,” says John. “They’re youthful and sweet.” The team gathered the hair into side ponytails just below the ear and wrapped a small section around the elastic to hide it completely. Then they created classic, three-strand braids, securing the ends with an elastic and once again wrapping the elastic with a small section of hair. Aveda Control Force Firm Hold Hair Spray sealed the deal.

Nonoo | Braided Beehive
At Nonoo, the beehive got a modern update. Highly textured braids snaked all the way around models’ heads for a decidedly feminine finish.

Creatures of the Wind | Undone Twists
Big hair ruled at Creatures of the Wind, where half-done braids, twists and teased tresses were bundled with rubbery accessories to create mega-sized, messy chignons. In front, strands were fashioned into glamorous swoops, juxtaposing the intricate texture in back. Lead stylist Odile Gilbert created the look by applying Kérastase Mousse Substantive and Lotion Densitive to damp hair, then scrunching with her fingers while drying. She wound sections into curls, twists and braids then gathered and pinned hair haphazardly at the back of the head, omitting the front section. She then teased the front portions of the hair, fashioning the swoops, and secured the ends beneath the style. She finished with a shot of gold glitter and Kérastase Double Force Hairspray.