MBFWA 19: KEVIN.MURPHY X Lee Matthews

Texture, style and form were all paramount in the hair look for Lee Matthews at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, complementing the myriad of fabrics, textures and shapes evident in the collection. Hair direction by Nathan Gorman for KEVIN.MURPHY put eye-catching finishes on the 20 year anniversary collection for the brand.

“For Lee Matthews 20-year anniversary show KEVIN. MURPHY wanted to reflect the brand alignment perfectly,” Nathan said. “Lee is known for her effortless pieces, her use of natural fabrics and her focus on simplicity, sustainability and inclusivity so we wanted to create a hair look that reflected this effortless appeal and had a ‘come as you are’ attitude. The look is a hair fold, not a top knot, not a ballerina bun, almost an elevated version of something the model could have done on herself. Each look is as individual as the woman wearing it.”

The backstage antics for the show went beyond just styling and, in true KEVIN.MURPHY fashion,also focused on actual care.

“Models’ hair goes through lots of heat styling during fashion week, so we wanted to protect their hair as much as possible. HEATED. DEFENSE distributes easily into dry hair, so it’s perfect for backstage and provides extreme heat protection up to 232C,” Nathan said.

ANTI.GRAVITY.SPRAY and SESSION.SPRAY-FLEX were other hero products, building a folded high ponytail that was collapsed and stitched. This technique mimicked Lee Matthews’ use of drapery and his unique gifts with fabric. The looks were also finished with wearable band around the hairline, made to elongate the neck and frame the face in focus on the catwalk.

Evoking an oriental theme in the show’s music and the detailed hair look, the execution of the hair brief at Lee Matthews caught the eye as an editorial or salon must-have style.

Get the Look:

STEP 1: Prep with HEATED.DEFENSE and apply ANTI.GRAVITY Spray from roots to ends.
STEP 2: Blow dry hair back and up from the hairline using a bristle brush.
STEP 3: Using a spritz of SESSION.SPRAY FLEX, gather hair on the crown of the head and secure with a hair elastic.
STEP 4: Fold ponytail up and secure with another elastic, leaving 4-5 inches out towards the front. Fold remaining loop in half to one side and tie again.
STEP 5: Place headband around head approx. 1.5 inches from hairline.