“Who stole Karen Elson’s headband?” Sam McKnight asked playfully backstage at today’s Fendi show in Milan. “It was Bella Hadid!” shouted the model’s sister, Gigi, with a giggle. The mood was surprisingly light considering the back-to-back show schedule that found many of the models rushing straight from Prada to make their Fendi call time. Not to mention, McKnight and his team had their work cut out for them in creating the show’s parade of individual ladylike—and labyrinthine—updos.
Ahead of masterminding the look, McKnight was presented with the collection’s array of padded headbands cast in silk, leather, and suede. “They’re kind of old couture, worn on the back of the head,” he explained. Based on their placement, and the exquisite nature of the collection, sculptural updos were the way to go. But he didn’t want them to feel too precious, which is where asymmetry and intricacy came into play. “They’re a little bit Star Wars princess-y because we wanted a return to elegance, but one that’s slightly more unexpected,” explained McKnight. And speaking of unexpected, the hair pro drew inspiration from an extraordinary place—la pasticceria!
“We ended up looking at pictures of pastries..braided loaves, cinnamon buns, and pretzels,” explained McKnight. “And not literally, but just as a inspiration. We wanted to take the bun a bit further. Have fun with the bun!”
No two styles were the same for the all-star cast of models, which also included Carolyn Murphy, Liya Kebede, and Paloma Elsesser. After hair was slicked taut into a high-slung braid with a cocktail of McKnight’s Modern Hairspray and his beloved kit favorite Cock Grease Hair Pomade, a custom extension piece, woven in the days leading up to the show, was added and molded into a custom shape. Finished off with a sumptuous backward band placed above the nape, and a blurred plum lip courtesy of makeup artist Peter Philips, the look was, dare we say, delectable.
