The Area Fall 2020 runway show at New York Fashion Week was an exploration of fabrics, history, technology and collaboration, as well as the concept that knowledge and beauty can be shared through handicraft.
The collection takes cues from the draping work of Madame Grès and also remixes a brand signature—playing with crystals in the hair. For lead hairstylist Jawara's third season with Area, models were dressed with crystal wigs and hair designs that were treated like scarves. This design detail was inspired by images in catalogs from the 1970s, where hair was sometimes disheveled, knotted and caught in coats. For its own take on this idea, Area created sleeker, more modern styling.
Drapery-Inspired Runways
The Area Fall 2020 Show Treated Hair & Crystals Like Scarves
Trend Themes
1. Fabric-inspired Hair - Opportunity for beauty companies to create innovative hairstyles that mimic the textures and drapes of different fabrics.
2. Crystal Manipulation - Opportunity for jewelry designers to incorporate crystals into hair accessories and create unique, eye-catching designs.
3. Retro Catalog Inspiration - Opportunity for fashion brands to draw inspiration from vintage catalogs and recreate nostalgic hairstyles with a modern twist.
Industry Implications
1. Beauty - The beauty industry can capitalize on the trend of fabric-inspired hair by developing new products and techniques for achieving different fabric-like textures in hairstyles.
2. Jewelry - Jewelry designers can embrace the trend of crystal manipulation in hair accessories to create statement pieces and offer unique alternatives to traditional jewelry.
3. Fashion - Fashion brands can tap into the trend of retro catalog inspiration by incorporating nostalgic hairstyles from the past into their runway shows and campaigns.