Tapping into Ashish's 1920s inspiration, hairstylist Sam McKnight layered bold, beaded fringe headpieces on models to stunning effect.
At Ashish, the Bold, Beaded Fringe Headpieces Were a Technicolor Fever Dream
With a collection born of a word as bold as joy, it's unsurprising that the beauty at Ashish's fall 2021 show would be carried off with equal exuberance. The spirited celebration drew inspiration from the 1920s, but with some Technicolor twists: For one, designer Ashish Gupta's new ‘20s found elevated form in a series of layered, beaded hair accessories, colored strands swinging like the daydream of a futuristic flapper.
“Ashish sent me a huge box of handmade glass beaded fringing from his studio in India,” says hairstylist Sam McKnight, who crafted the range of light-reflecting additions over the course of six days with the help of stylists Eamonn Hughes and Valerie Benavides. Wigs built from tiers of saturated shades—ombréd sages and emeralds, tangerine, cobalt, gold, and more—shimmered alongside strings peeking from beneath pastel manes, the colorful collective framing eyes adorned in pops of color by makeup artist Terry Barber.
From beaded extensions—those mixed and hidden into real hair—to full-on asymmetrical headpieces, the medley made for an optimal blend of playful and stylized, an echo of designer Gupta’s high-shine, meticulously crafted clothing. The overall effect was psychedelic and undeniably jubilant, a cheer of an answer to the past year's lean toward all things casual and listless. “It was all about fun, color, sparkle, and joy,” says McKnight. “Just like his collection.”
This story originally appeared on: Vogue - Author:Calin Van Paris
