On the runway
Fashion’s fixation on everything dark and romantic needs the right topper (and we’re not just talking about waistcoats). From light golden brown to the deepest mocha, shades of brunette exploded on top model tresses to match the runways’ moody turn. It’s no surprise that the runways’ current “it” girl is Canada’s own Irina Lazareanu. She’s got gorgeous dark-brown hair, giving her a mysterious edge that the fashion elite are lusting for. And she’s not alone. Canada’s catwalk best—Daria Werbowy, Heather Marks, Coco Rocha Agnieszka Wichniewicz and Lisa Cant—all embraced the darker side, making brown hair (be it faux or au naturel) the hottest colour of the season.
“Brunettes have a lot of character. They look stronger and all the designers are using them,” explains Jean-François Leroux, Lazareanu’s agent and director of Giovanni Model Management in Montreal.
From her position as a much sought-after designer muse who has walked the runways for nearly every major designer, natural brunette Cant agrees. “I recently shot the D&G campaign, and they used all dark-haired girls. They wanted the mood to be more mysterious, less obviously sexy.”
Yet, these leggy ladies aren’t coveted just because rich locks frame their pretty faces. “Brunettes are associated with intelligence,” says Cant. “And fashion is looking for a ‘smarter’ girl right now.” (Hallelujah!) Givenchy opened its runway show with a parade of dark-haired beauties with bookish black-rimmed glasses and Tuleh paid due homage to the ’30s–’40s Vassar girl (think dark, smart and stylish à la famous former student Jackie O).
Matti Gidilevich, the Elite Model Management Toronto agent representing Rocha (whose CV includes Chanel, Balenciaga and Dolce & Gabbana), says that brunettes are intoxicating and intriguing. “Everybody wants to be them and everybody wants to book them.” He even goes so far as to insist that “all the top models are brunettes right now.”
“Dyeing” to indulge your inner model? Simply toss the bleach and make your mark in rich shades of coffee, walnut and cappuccino.
cont’d next page (How to Become a Brunette) >
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