O&M partnered with renowned fashion brand Zambesi for New Zealand Fashion Week: Kahuria. Hosted at Park Hyatt Auckland against the backdrop of Tamaki Makaurau’s Viaduct Basin, Benjamin James lent his talents as Hair Director of the show.

The brand created over 40 strong and structured hair looks to complement the fashion, with three key hairstyles; a ponytail, raked back look and soft wave. O&M’s W-Spray, Atonic Hair Thickening Spritz and Original Queenie Firm Hold Hairspray were hero products.

“There’s a certain visceral feeling you get from Zambesi. The brand conjures emotion, and when people are wearing Zambesi they feel their most ultimate. We wanted this feeling to be conveyed and accentuated through the hair,” Benjamin said. “Although some of the looks are very done, they feel really natural, as if it could have been done by the model.”

“Some of the stronger looks we created include a tight pony designed to constrict the hair and expose the neck line. We have a scraped back look to open the face without restricting the hair too much and a very strong centre part with very soft movement to keep the volume down and the silhouette close to the head.”

The collection, created by Zambesi designer and founder Elisabeth Findlay, was inspired by our urban environment, boasting strong, structured silhouettes paired with fluid silks. The collection hoped to feel both familiar and unexpected, presenting a considered and juxtaposed approach to form, function, freedom and restraint.

“The emphasis on unlikely combinations appeals to me and one’s individual interpretation to explore and dress for themselves has always been the backbone of our brand,” Elisabeth said. This aesthetic value and an emphasis on individuality and uniqueness guided the hair and makeup briefs.

Get the looks below.

Ponytail:

• Start by preparing the hair with a handful of Rootalicious worked into the root area and a hairdryer, blowing all the hair away from the face.
• Smooth hair as much as possible, applying a light spritz of W-Spray to create a neat and sleek look without making it look wet or oily.
• Decide on your pony placement and continue to brush hair back to that point.
• Secure the pony in place with a hat elastic, this makes it easy to leave the hair in place while securing it. This technique does take practice but will be much more secure.

Raked Back:

• Lightly spray hair with water and begin blow drying the hair back off the face.
• Spray the hair in sections, starting behind the ear moving forward with Original Queenie.
• Rake the hair back away from your ears with a wide tooth comb and diffuse with a hair dryer until dry.
• Apply a cocktail of Style Guru and Frizzy Logic Serum to create weight and separation from the ends.

Soft Wave:

• Begin by spraying the hair down with Atonic Thickening Spray and blow drying it in, keeping it close to the head.
• Create a strong centre part with a pintail comb.
• Using a tong, go in and create a soft bend in the hair from the chin down, using large sections to create softer looks.
• Finish with a combination of Style Guru and Frizzy Logic Serum to add weight. Feel free to pull at it but remember this look is about a close silhouette, not volume.

For more information visit www.originalmineral.com.au

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