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IN THE LEAD: RICHARD PHILLIPART'S DEBUT SHOW AT PARIS FASHION WEEK

Session stylist Richard Phillipart shares all about his debut show as a hair lead at Paris Fashion Week. A character study of each individual model, prepare to take notes.

Team Phillipart

Team Phillipart

Take one award-winning session stylist, 11 members of Team Phillipart and one unmissable opportunity to work at Paris Fashion Week, and what do you get? A hotbed of creativity and a true character study of each individual model and their hair texture at ABRA A/W24. In a show which marked Richard Phillipart’s debut as a hair lead at Paris Fashion Week, the 27 models who walked the runway with beautifully enhanced hair is testament to Richard’s attention to detail and true craftmanship.  

Chosen by Richard as his season highlight of A/W24, he says: “this was the first Paris Fashion Week show for Team Phillipart and a milestone in my career. Being asked to design the hair look my first Paris runway was a fantastic start to 2024.”  

The show itself centred on the theme of “Celebrating the extraordinary in the ordinary and the irresistible beauty of everyday femininity”. Models were treated as individuals with the beauty of their natural texture enhanced and celebrated. Longer hair was styled with a clean centre-parting and left cascading down over the shoulders, allowing it to move and catch the wind as models walked the runway in Paris. Shorter hair was swept to the side with an equally relaxed, nonchalant vibe. 

Taking place in Rue Philippe-de-Girard, models walked a runway which was styled to look like the backstage dressing area. The set compromised clothing rails, and packed full of bulging black ABRA garment bags and shoe boxes, alongside hair and make-up stations which split the runway in two. The areas included brushes, tools and products from MYORGANICS, which were meticulously placed by Team Phillipart to give the illusion the team had been working on these stations to create the looks just moments before the audience arrived.  

Richard Phillipart backstage at ABRA

Models backstage at ABRA. Photography by @_valentinrusso. 

Model backstage at ABRA
Richard Phillipart backstage at ABRA

Hair how to

All models had their hair prepped by cleansing and treatment with Supreme Shampoo and Miracle Mask, which was great for adding intense nourishment to the hair without weighing it down. 

Hair was drenched with Ocean Spray to add a pliable texture and hold. Sections of hair were twisted in opposite directions and dried with a diffuser on high heat/low power to enhance and control natural texture and waves. Where needed, Supreme Oil, Hydrating Glaze, Curl Revival or Smoothing Lotion was used on the mid-lengths and ends of model’s hair to tame, refine, or enhance textures as required. 

Hair was then rope braided and pinned to secure, which helped set the natural waves while models were in make-up and rehearsals. It also prevented frizzing or dropping of the texture. 

Finishing touches included the Water Moulding Wax, which was first warmed up in the hands and then smoothed across the parting to tame fly-away hairs. Strong Hold Hydrating Hairspray and Restructuring Shine Spray were used to set the look, which was then brushed out by Richard moments before the models walked the runway to create a clean, fresh bounce in the hair. 

Video by @saladxxdays.

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