6 posts tagged "Christiaan"
The Short Undercut: Spring’s Standout Hair Style?
There’s an early entry for haircut of the season, and it’s already been spotted at a few castings here in New York: behold, the evolution of the undercut. Freja Beha Erichsen notably sported the original, shaved-underneath style that Christiaan Houtenbos made famous in the early eighties backstage at Balmain’s Spring 2012 show, starting a domino effect that saw both Milla Jovovich and Yasmin Le Bon follow suit. Now it seems a few up-and-coming catwalkers have gotten on board with the idea, albeit in an even more outrageous incarnation. Vogue U.K. fans who saw Janice Alida’s cameo in this month’s masculine-inspired editorial “Boy Talk,” in which the Canadian stunner debuted a Guido Palau-trimmed, bleached-out fade (that reportedly inspired the entire David Sims-lensed story), will be surprised to see Alida on the runways this week, as our sources are reporting that she has been bouncing between fittings with the same haircut, now dyed a deep shade of espresso. Perhaps uncoincidentally, Alida’s fellow Ford Models compatriot Erin MacDonald has been spotted with the same cut in the agency’s show package, courtesy of hairstylist Vassilis Kokkinidis; we’re pretty sure she won’t be the only one when the shows get under way. Keep your eyes peeled.
Celebrity Fragrance Ad Campaigns Heat Up; Video Game Heroes, Bottled; And More…
Lady Gaga isn’t the only one upping the ante with a new fragrance campaign. Beyoncé has just unleashed her new Midnight Heat ad onto the Internet. Sure, it’s not little micro-men climbing allover her naked body, but, like, it’s still Beyoncé. [Fashion Etc]
Tom Bachik became the most talked about nail artist in the biz for a brief moment two summers ago when he was named Chanel’s first-ever celebrity manicurist, but now it appears that he has changed teams. The self-branded “MAN-icurist” recently signed on as the latest addition to L’Oréal Paris’ growing roster of experts. Will he still use Chanel’s inimitable lacquers when on set with his laundry list of A-list clients? Presumably yes. [WWD]
Daria Werbowy has shorn off her long chocolate locks in favor of a chin-grazing crop, courtesy of Christiaan. She originally made the cut a few months ago, according to the famed hairdresser who admits that the super-duper model “took a while to own it.” But he trimmed it up on the set of the Celine’s Fall campaign and left it short, mostly because “no one dared to put [Daria] in extensions.” [Into The Gloss]
What exactly does a video game smell like? We’re about to find out thanks to the perfume geniuses at Epic-Scents who are developing a range of fragrances that evoke the characteristics of gamer heroes like Mega Man. Full disclosure: we’re intrigued to see what they come up with for Mario. [Escapist]
EXCLUSIVE: Byredo’s Mister Marvelous Redux
Last year, Byredo’s Ben Gorham ventured outside of his collaborative comfort zone to create a new fragrance that was less of a joint partnership and more of a tribute. With the release of Mister Marvelous—a mandarin leaf, neroli flower, green lavender, black amber, and white cedarwood eau—Ben Gorham immortalized a hair hero nonpareil: Christiaan Houtenbos. The Dutch-born coiffing star made a name for himself as an army barber while stationed in Curaçao before moving to New York in the sixties, taking the editorial world by storm in the seventies, serving backstage duties for Calvin Klein and Comme des Garçons in the eighties, and christening the undercut in the process; 40 years later, Christiaan remains one of fashion’s most sought-after stylists. “I’m just a singular character,” he insisted once when we had the pleasure of interviewing him. “I want to live like a painter or a writer who doesn’t have a secretary and just does what he’s supposed to do. [But] people keep asking me all these questions—I might start writing a book for myself.” For now, he’s picked up a pen for a different cause: to personally sign 200 limited-edition boxes of his namesake scent, which has been given an orange makeover—Christiaan’s signature color—and will be available on Byredo’s Web site next week. While Gorham has talked about adding other installments to his Mister Marvelous franchise, for now Christiaan remains the one and only.
Milla Jovovich, Blade Runner
Christiaan has something of a trigger-happy reputation. It’s not uncommon for the coiffing establishment’s reigning one-name wonder to break out a pair of shears on set and create a new, avante-garde hairstyle completely off the cuff. He did it back in 1984 when he christened the undercut, and he was up to his old tricks again last night at a Love magazine shoot, where he made Milla Jovovich the latest card-carrying member of the side-shave brigade. Alice Dellal, eat your heart out. Thoughts on the look?
Meet Mister Marvelous
Byredo’s Ben Gorham has shown his enthusiasm for the collaborative spirit on more than one occasion. His cardamom, geranium, incense, and vetiver eau de cologne for Fantastic Man was a smash hit with guys (and girls) when it debuted back in 2009; M/Mink, the flacon he created with art directors extraordinaire, Michaël Amzalag and Mathias Augustyniak, drew the likes of Kanye West to its debut; and a host of scents (in both votive and spritz-able form) for Acne’s Jonny Johansson have proved some of the most coveted fashion-show keepsakes around. (We’re still on the hunt for a bottle of Svart Snö, the cinnamon, ginger, lavender, and clove room spray Gorham designed for Johansson’s Fall 2010 presentation, should anyone be looking to unload their stash).
Gorham’s latest launch is less of a collaboration, and more of an homage; Mister Marvelous, a new fragrance concept that will be a recurring series rather than a single release, aims to make a yearly tribute to male friends and colleagues whom Gorham defines as marvelous, as in “wonderful, exquisite, and astonishing with a bit of strangeness as well.” First on that distinguished list is renowned hair stylist Christiaan Houtenbos. Known by his first name only, the Dutch coiffeur had his hands in the hair of some of the biggest names in fashion when he burst onto the scene in the eighties—Grace Jones, Calvin Klein, and a coterie of models, included—and is credited, among other things, for pioneering the undercut. Houtenbos is still racking up styling credits for glossies (his were the magic fingers behind Emma Watson’s slicked-back July Vogue cover), and in his spare time, he busies himself with pottery, some poetry, and the occasional bit of woodworking (there’s the wonderful, astonishing, and exquisite bit). Gorham’s mandarin leaf, green lavender, bamboo, and black amber eau just went on sale on Byredo’s website, meaning that Houtenbos can officially add fragrance muse to his growing list of accomplishments as well.