Fashion, Trends By Warren Holmes

70′s Fringe

“As Fashion Week season commences, journos, editors, buyers and the general public are on the look out for anything that can be turned into this season’s new trend. Often it’s from the runway but sometimes a trend can be created from a buzz around the Fashion week.

In New York, walking the streets downtown, outside of the shows, sitting at front row there is a romance beginning for The 70s Fringe. It’s back but in truth did it ever truly leave us?

The 70s was a sexy era, driven by Discos, independence, big hair, loud dresses; we all have the Studio 54 image in our heads. The fringe is sexy, elegant and can be worn carefree or serious, a look all women aspired for in the 70s.

Kate Moss’s Spring Summer 2011 Longchamp Bag collection campaign sees her dropping the 70s fringe at its best. The whole look works but it’s the fringe that puts this style at its most powerful and creates immediate impact. This has undoubtedly led to hordes of people heading to the salon to get one put in. When I did Kate Moss’s hair, she didn’t have a fringe and most would say she can wear anything. Well, that may be so but she knows how to wear it. She has fine to medium hair and fringe’s are ideal for this hair type. They give the illusion the hair is actually a lot thicker than it is.

The rest of the style has to work though and it doesn’t always have to be 70s inspired. Actress Rose Bryne debuted her new fringe at the amFAR gala at the start of New York Fashion Week. It had an air of Chrissie Hynde to it, which was a huge look through Autumn Winter 2010/2011. It always takes a season or two for Hair to filter down from the catwalk and onto the streets and this is a sure sign of the return and 2011 dominance of the 70s fringe.

I recently did Claudia Winkleman’s hair. She has made the fringe her own and it definitely is 70s inspired but with a kooky edgy twist. She draws her inspiration again from Chrissie Hynde and Steve Tyler (two great points of reference).

We saw Sandra Bullock go for a fringe at the recent Golden Globes. It was big impact with a slightly different shape of fringe and the rest of her hair was worn straight. Edie Campbell and Daisy Lowe rock the look very well and can be drawn on for inspiration.

When i did Sienna Miller’s hair, the fringe was rounded at the corners and not as wide. It wasn’t a 70s fringe, nor was it a blunt heavy ‘Disco’ fringe. It was just a soft fringe that could grow out and be worn to the side or resting on the cheekbones. One element to it that is similar to a 70s fringe was its versatility. It can be worn in many ways and most of the time it looks better when left natural. Look at Kate Moss’s Longchamp Bag Collection Spring Summer 2011 for inspiration. The hair moves. It has a breath of ease and fun to it. That’s how we differentiate between the different fringes that apply to different eras. To the naked eye they are probably just ‘Heavy Fringes’ but they are so much more. The 70s styles never went away but is certainly being shouted about this season’

Warren’s Tips to this season’s fringe

• Colour really can work. A couple of subtle highlights in the front break it up and give the illusion of movement. If a light catches the fringe and strikes against the colour, you’ve succeeded.
• Consider your face shape. Don’t let it put you off though if, say, your face shape is too wide…you may just have to add more volume at the crown to lengthen your face shape.
• Consider your hair as an accessory. Will it work with your outfits? Will it dictate you slightly changing your wardrobe? Change is good.
• Use a clip in fringe to see what it will look like before you get it cut.
• Have fun with it. It will grow back and you will always remember ‘that fringe’.”

Says Warren Holmes, International Creative Director

Posted By Warren Holmes on 20.Feb 2011 under Fashion, Trends