Two of the images above featuring model Abby Lee Kershaw – shot for Vogue Australia – have been making the rounds for some time now, and her dip dyed hair has divided both hairdressers and hipster denizens worldwide ever since. Make no mistake, statement hair color is making a comeback.
Usually the much frowned upon idea of regrowth would send any hairdresser worth their salt into instant hissy fits and even panic attacks. Believe me, I’ve seen it, and it’s not pretty. However the appeal, as a hairdresser and certified rebel-at-heart is in its purposeful imperfection and undeniable artful edge. This technique of dip dyeing or ombre as its also known in fashion speak (French for shading), usually refers to a fabric dyeing process that produces a pale-to-dark gradation of color in the fabric.
So just how do you interpret and translate all these splashes of color on the ends of models hair to your own mane without it looking like your 6-year-old niece attacked you?!
For the more daring amongst us, blondes can try neon shades or black, and brunettes can try acid blue or yellow. London girl-about-town and Fashion Editor of Dazed & Confused magazine, Katie Shillingford makes a stance. So it would make sense that Katie Shillingford with the help from hairstylist Raphaël Salley would style this shot for Dazed & Confused, taking the look to its (un) natural conclusion by adding acid blue in the mix.
Now let’s get serious, achieving this bold color takes bravado, so seek some expertise and precision most commonly found in the capable hands of a hairstylist, so to reiterate, this is not one to try at home, unless you want look like your 8 year old did it. So please, make an appointment with your colorist to avoid disappointment – and be prepared to snip your hair off above the dye-line when you’re fed up with it, because only permanent dyes will do and a steady hand to avoid the color running up the hair shaft, as one colorist I’m fond of for a rent-a-quote said, “perfectly placed, yet strategically erratic”.
For better results, a neat blunt cut works best with a clean 1-2inch colored line at the bottom of your mid to long hair length. It makes the whole look more confident and deliberate, without being too contrived. To make this hairstyle more user-friendly and less labored looking, most hair color specialists would recommend a more subtle combination than Drew Barrymore’s Black on blonde. For example honey blondes can go for a lighter soft peach or a darker chocolate through the ends, and brunettes could try caramel like Alexa Chung’s new bob length cut. All thats left to say is: Get Your Dye On!
Hair colour is back. Make no mistake.
I've just written an article for The Hub Magazine, and in my research about hair colour trends I found this photo editorial in Vogue Italia.
About the model.
Natalia Polevshchikova (Russia Наталья Полевщикова), generally shortened to Natasha Poly (born July 12, 1985Poly was born on July 12, 1985 in Perm, Russia and began modeling locally in 2000. After winning a model search competition in Moscow] she made her runway debut, walking for Emanuel Ungaro in 2004.
She resides in New York, NY and has her own fan-site at www.NatashaPoly.com
About the photographer.
Craig McDean (born 1964, England) is a British fashion photographer originally from Middlewich near Manchester, but now based in. New York City.
McDean originally trained and worked as a car mechanic before studying photography at Mid Cheshire College (OND) and Blackpool & Fylde College of Further & Higher Education (PQE). McDean began his photographic career in London as a photographer's assistant to photographer Nick Knight. His early editorial work was featured in magazines such as i-D and The Face, which led to advertising campaign work for clients such as Jil Sander and Calvin Klein, and editorial commissions with Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue.
McDean is married to stylist Tabitha Simmons. He is represented by Art + Commerce in New York.
I finished up a shoot a couple of weeks ago. I’m sorry but I can’t show you guys any of the photos until they go live. However, I worked with a great model named kahlia from Viviens Models. So in keeping spirit with a blog about hair, I decided to show you what was sent to my inbox, her comp card.
Hard to believe she just qualified to be a policewoman.
