Kendall Jenner Test-Drives the Fendi Topknot at Milan Fashion Week
“These aren’t big tendrils of hair just hanging there,” say backstage fixture Sam McKnight, running the silver tail of his hair comb through the whisper-light ringlets grazing Kendall Jenner’s gleaming high cheekbones. “They’re doll-like, but soft and brushed out for a youthful effect.” Backstage at Fendi’s Spring 2019 fashion show, the beloved hairstylist used a boar-bristle brush and mists of his Modern Hairspray to scrape back each model’s mane into a taut, high-slung topknot, save for fuzzy, face-framing strands meant to evoke the romantic coiffures of the late 19th century—but with a twist. “We were looking at Victorian updos, and then started referencing 1970s-era [interpretations],” he explained, adding that it was a vintage photograph of Twiggy, her cropped pale blonde hair tied back with ethereal coils caressing her big blue eyes, that stuck out in his mind most.
When conceptualizing the look with designer Karl Lagerfeld, a cool, directional updo that suited the different hair textures, densities, and lengths on the wide spectrum of high-profile models—from Jenner and Kaia Gerber to Binx Walton and Adesuwa Aighewi—was top of mind for McKnight. “It had to work on every girl,” he says. “Look around; this style really is universally flattering.” And while the wispy high bun certainly falls into the new romantic category emerging this fashion month, the juxtaposition between the reimagined slapdash style’s sleek silhouette and flyaway wisps perfectly suits this season’s Fendi girl, whether she’s throwing on a transparent PVC jacket with caramel leather trim, a sumptuous white Fendi-logo embroidered zip-up, or a sharply-tailored leather blazer cinched at the waist with chic iterations of a carry-all accessory. After all, the ultimate It-girl utility belt calls for an equally empowering topper.
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