There was an avalanche of irony at the Jad Ghandour’s fall 2012 runway show in New York when rock-chic leather acquainted itself with the sensuality of sheer chiffon. But as much as Ghandour’s Hollywood clientele beamed with excitement for his gown-swamped collection, his everyday girl gleefully embraced the thought of being Joan Crawford and Angelina Jolie – all at once.
The mix of wild and elegance didn’t just limit itself to the clothes at this show in NYFW, but also spread across the hair department. Hair stylist Mathew Curtis created a cross between a twisted chignon and a French twist, without really giving an official title to this unique runway hairdo. There are varied textures in the look, making it lengthier to style than any other do.
The wet hair look of this outlandishly chic hairstyle complimented all the leather in the collection, while the rope-twisted braid assisted the floor-length gowns.
Curtis’ hair team were kind enough to share the how-to tips with us and corresponding to which are our exclusive backstage shots lensed by Kelly Defina.
The how-to
Split the hair strands into 3-4 sections and apply mousse all through wet hair. Use a flat iron to thin down the strands, if necessary.
Take a big chunk of hair, starting from the crown of the head and down till the nape. Hold it tight in a ponytail.
Comb an extra shine hair gel all through the individual sections, right through the ends.
Section by section, keep adding more hair to the ponytail but only after coating it with gel. This will give an ultimate slick and polished look. Next, secure the thick ponytail with a transparent elastic band and tie it really tightly close to the scalp. You don’t want any loose hair sticking out.
Once again section the ponytail in two sections and drench it with styling gel. Individually, twist the two sections into a tight rope.

Twist the two ropes around the ponytail into a figure of eight, but remember they will eventually overlap. Secure with bobby pins.
 
Finish off the back of the head by spraying some more shine hairspray all through the twisted rope bun. This will give the hair a glass-like finish, as the look demands.
Use a curling tong and curl the fringed section of the hair away from the face.

Remove from the curling tong and use a soft bristled brush to loosen up the fringe. Pin the long strands to the side of the head in a glamourous, pin-up style, 1920s manner. If the hair is still untamed, apply more styling gel to it.

Brush the roots lightly with gel to give a softened feel to the look.
Pin the rest of the fringe to cover one eye.
Finally, spray a shine spray all through the hair for the added shine and glossy look.
Thanks to Matthew Curtis for Tresemme for sharing the steps on creating this look. If you’re after more hair how-to guides and tutorials head to our 2012 hairstyles guide at that link.
