Straddle up and put on those Diddy sunglasses because Donatella is taking us way back to the 90s – one side sleek and slick and the other donning neon brights and raver couture. As our Creative Director Kieron Fowles worked his hair magic for the show, he gave us an exclusive look into what men’s style trends we should expect for S20.
Never one to disappoint, Donatella’s show was ready for some Nineties fun – Versace style. The show took place around a sculptured centre piece – and by that we mean a boxy, 90s-esque black sports car, from which hundreds of pink and white flowers had piled out of the windows and on to the floor. The catwalk itself was a beautiful dusty pink, polished to a high shine and had us reaching for our glam shades before the show had even started.
The collection was decked with leopard prints, neon hair and not to mention the gloss and sparkle that titivated each model as they glowed down the catwalk like flashing beacons. And that was just the menswear, not the few women’s looks that crept up in the collection.
As the tremendous all-Prodigy soundtrack and brightly coloured spiked hair on the models indicated, this show was, in part, a touching tribute to the band’s front man Keith Flint, who died in March. Before the evening’s show commenced, Versace said: “I dedicate this collection to my old friend. He was disruption… and he performed right here the last time he was in Milan.”
The first looks on the runway drew inspiration from the New Wave era, with models wearing cinched leather trenches, buttoned up shirts, and classic black ties combined with sleek wet looks and sharp side partings. As the show continued, things got more relaxed, and a series of ultra-rave looks appeared, featuring tie-dye t-shirts, bold baroque-print trousers and wrap-around sunglasses paired with uber bright neon coloured hair styled into distressed ‘horns’ as the models stormed down the runway. Last onto the runway was a series of more tailored looks, with Bella Hadid wearing what we think is perhaps the most 90s look ever: a sparkly blazer with matching bootcut trousers, layered over a triangle bra. Could it get any more 90s girl band?
If this has left your creativity juices flowing into overdrive, we’ve got 3 top tips for all the men out there prepping their hair game either for a casual seasonal update or the ultimate wow factor.
What you need to know before you go neon
Prior to booking in for your neon hair transformation, it’s important to note that neon hair requires your base colour to be lightened – a lot. For these types of glowing shades to show up on your hair, your hair needs to be pre-lightened to as light a pale yellow as you can possibly get it, without it damaging your hair beyond repair, in order for your chosen colour to stick to it.
Keep in mind that the darker your starting shade, the more sessions it may take to get your hair light enough to colour it a bright neon shade. If you’re making a dramatic hair colour change like this, we can’t stress enough how important it is to visit a professional colourist in salon who will be able to help your hair render the colour you desire whilst minimising damage to strands. At Regis, we also have a network of Master Colour Experts who hold one of the highest hair colouring accolades in the industry courtesy of the team over at Wella Professionals, so if you manage to book in with an MCE, you’re in doubly safe hands.
Of all colouring methods, bleach is potentially the most damaging and harmful to hair. Bleaching raises the outer cuticle in strands to allow the bleaching agent to fully penetrate. However, repeated bleaching can permanently raise the cuticle scales which allows rapid and unremitting loss of moisture, not to mention hair becoming inelastic, brittle and prone to breakage and split ends.
The amount of damage your hair is likely to endure also depends on the level of the colour change. For instance, going from a dark brown to a bright neon shade is potentially the most harmful because the colouring (bleaching) agent is stronger and left on for longer.
But don’t let that put you off! Bleaching hair prior to colouring is so popular now and our network of stylists are skilled in delivering a lightened result to your hair that minimises damage and retains moisture. If you’re still not sure if a whole head of bleach is for you, consider just colouring the ends of your hair or specific sections for an edgy and rebellious neon ombré effect.
Don’t forget that neon hair is also pretty high maintenance, so you’ll want to be prepared for regular visits to the salon to top up your colour and keep the look of outgrown roots at bay. There are also steps you can take at home to help maintain your colour in between salon visits – but if the thought of choosing a salon quality hair product gives you the hebe-jeebies rest assured our stylists are on hand to help you make the perfect selection for your hair type and colour. Or, you can just peruse through our online stock and pick the products that you know are right for you.
How to texturize hair
For a quick way to create lots of texture in your hair at home, look for men’s styling products such as hair wax, texture putty or molding clay. These products should be used sparingly to avoid weighing your hair down too much and having the opposite effect to your desired results. Take a small dab on your fingers, then run it through small sections to ‘mess up’ the hair. It might take a few attempts to get the texture and shape exactly as you want it, but hey, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Our stylists recommend using small amounts to add some interesting anti-gravity, hair lifting looks, just like the ones seen at the latest runway show for Versace’s Men’s Collection.
Get the Punk look:–
“Blow dry the hair with a texture spray or volume mousse to create a good amount of separation between the sections of hair. Work a texturizing paste into your palms and distribute into the hair creating definition and style to desired taste.” – Creative Director Kieron Fowles
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How to get the wet look
The wet look is increasingly popular for men’s hair as it is for women, but 90s throwback wet hair looks needn’t be an exact replica (unless you’re gunning for the ‘wethead’ pet name given to Ross in Friends – though we’re guessing probably not.) The greatest advantage of this look is that it can be incorporated into most hair types, from messy curls to thinner, slicked-back hair.
Creating wetness requires working in a little bit of a product though, such as a good mousse, pomade or styling gel before combing washed hair into place. By picking a product that compliments your hair type, you’ll turn heads for all the right reasons, and acutely avoid pet names like ‘wethead’ or ‘greaseball’.
First things first, pat your washed hair so that it’s mostly dry. To use mousse and gel properly for this look, your hair has to remain pliable – it shouldn’t be sopping wet but stop before it completely dries. However, if you’re opting for a pomade, it’s best to make sure your whole head is completely dry before you apply as the putty texture doesn’t take well to damp hair.
Get the Sleek look:-
“Blow-dry hair into a deep side parting and back hair away from the face. Starting from the back take horizontal sections and apply the gel at the root area, comb each section so that it’s slicked down to the scalp and repeat this method to the parting.” – Creative Director Kieron Fowles
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Ready to get the look?
Shop the products you’ll need to stock up on to get the look by either visiting your local salon or our handy online shop. If you’re vying for that 90s raver-inspired neon shade though, you’ll need to book in so that our stylists can walk you through the process and put together a hair colour plan to help you reach your #hairgoals – all this in a free consultation, prior to your colour appointment.
Share your 90s inspired looks with us @regisuk using #regisuk so that they show up in our feed!
