Get the look: Ingrid Starnes NZFW 2011

Ingrid Starnes is one of my favourite designers, and her show at this year’s New Zealand Fashion Week made me love her even more. Each piece from the Arcadia collection that came down the runway had “buy me!’ written all over it, which is great for my wardrobe come next winter yet crippling for my bank account!
But enough about the clothes already! I was equally as enamoured of the hair and makeup look at the show (pictured above), the former created by Greg Murrell, Hair Director for KMS California and the owner of the seriously fabulous Ryder salon.
“Ingrid’s look is quite feminine but there’s a real strength behind it,” said Greg, who created a hair look for the models that fell in line with that aesthetic. He created an off the face, messy chignon at the nape of the neck, starting from a ponytail base, with a loose surface texture. The overall feel is sculptural, with a sense of freedom to the hair texture.
To achieve Greg’s “Strong but Sensual Chignon” for Ingrid Starnes, try this:

1) Prep the hair by first applying KMS California Add Volume Volumizing Spray liberally throughout, before blowdrying with a round brush for volume. Lightly back-brush the surface of the hair if necessary to create a slightly imperfect texture.

2) Pull the hair back into a ponytail at the nape using an invisible hair elastic.

3) Take a fine section of hair and wrap it around the hair elastic to disguise it. Fix in a place with a fine hair clip.

4) Take the ponytail in one hand and start rolling it under from the end towards the head.

5) Next, start pinning the hair so that the chignon is attached to the head.

6) Keep pinning until it feels very secure. Make sure the shape does not look too wide from the back.

7) Now pull at the chignon to loosen the surface texture and create a dis-sheveled feel.

8) Lightly brush against the hair on the surface of the head to create a loose slightly fly- away texture.

9) Finish by lightly spraying the style with KMS California Hairplay Dry Wax for a flexible matt hold.