THE VISION
For Carven SS27, the starting point was the working woman. Drawing on the house's heritage, creative director Kai Nesselrath and stylist Camille Bidault-Waddington wanted to create a character whose hair felt natural, practical and instinctive. The direction was boyish, simple and with natural realism.. A pencil accessory designed by Kai became a recurring detail throughout the collection, appearing in shirt pockets, above the ear and tucked into the hair. It was a small but important part of the story: the idea of a woman putting her hair up with whatever she has to hand. Some models with hair down and using their natural hair texture while others in low, loosely secured knots. Across both variations, the intention was to preserve the natural character of each model's hair while maintaining a consistent silhouette. The result was hair that felt real rather than overly styled for the runway.
THE APPROACH
For Kim, it was important to find the right balance between control and natural movement. The reference was the texture of hair when conditioner has been combed through it, a man’s waxed filled hair in the 1940's. Not quite wet, not as hard as gelled hair, but with a softness and weight that allowed the hair to sit close to the head.
“We wanted to explore boyish shapes and simplicity within the hair. The idea was to keep the natural movement and allow for beautiful imperfections, but without it becoming romantic.”
Achieving that consistency across different hair types required an individual approach to each model. Rather than using the same product combination throughout, Kim worked with creams, gels, oils and hairsprays, adjusting the balance according to the texture in front of her.
“When approaching the products for the models' hair texture, it's about thinking of the science behind the product. Is it water-based? Oil-based? How much hold do I need? Does the hair expand? Does it need more control or less control?”
It's this understanding of how products behave, and how different textures respond, that allows a single creative direction to translate across an entire cast without losing individuality.
THE TECHNIQUE
The hair was prepared in sections, working from the nape upwards. Oribe Super fine strong hold hairspray provided control at the roots, while Oribe Royal Blowout and Supershine Moisturizing Cream were worked through the lengths. For curlier textures, Curl Gelée was mixed with Supershine to help manage frizz. A wide-tooth comb was used to direct the hair away from the face, before Kim worked back through it with her fingers.
“I start by combing it straight back, then I use my fingers to get some irregularities so the hair feels more real. But I'm still paying attention to my shape and the height of the front, keeping it square and making sure there's not too much volume.”
Cover Clips and Setting Clips held the shape in place, while setting nets helped control areas that might expand as the hair dried. Importantly, the hair was left to dry naturally. No hairdryers. The low knot followed the same silhouette as the loose hair, sitting close to the nape with a slightly undone finish.
“Keeping the knot lower was also about a feeling of undone, falling out. Like when you're working and just use a pencil or pen to hold your hair back.”
The final result was deceptively simple: hair that appeared instinctive, but where every detail had been considered.
Explore the tools behind the look
- Session Kit Cover Clips - To set and hold the ‘close to the head’ silhouette.
- Session Kit Sectioning Clips - For sectioning and maintaining control
- Setting Clips - For holding and keeping hair in place while hair.
- Wide-Tooth Comb - To create the swept-back shape while retaining natural movement.
- Session Kit Hairnets - To control expansion and allow the hair to dry naturally.
THE KIT
MEET THE ARTIST
London Based, Kim Rance is drawn to transformation and the power of creating character through hair. Starting her career at just 14, Kim went on to spend years assisting Sam McKnight before joining Guido Palau’s core team for five years. Now Represented by Management Artists and collaborating with photographers including Alasdair McLellan, Sharna Osborne and Oliver Hadlee Pearch, among others. Her work spans fashion shows, editorials and campaigns for some of the industry’s most influential names, including Phoebe Philo, Dior, Balenciaga and Vivienne Westwood.
