#TrendAlert: Slick hair is here to stay, according to NYFW’s Fall Runways

Though Miley Cyrus’s voluminous ’do at the 2024 Grammys could still catalyse a return to big hair, the New York Fashion Week runways are going in a different direction. Sleek hair is always spotted on at least a few runways each season, but as the Fall 2024 shows get under way in New York, sleek, we saw it on both Christian Siriano’s and Helmut Lang’s models. All signs point to this being the year of hair gel.

The Christian Siriano show saw a return to ultra-styled hair, with Unilever stylist and celebrity artist Lacy Redway pulling it back into low sculptural chignons and finishing it off with gold flake accents. “My inspiration for this look is quite literally a reflection of Christian’s collection,” Redway says. “When I first saw the clothes, I wanted to mirror the reflectiveness of the designs in the hair while also indulging in blunt and unique textures that make the look feel fun and futuristic.”

Redway and her team used a suite of products from Dyson and Tresemmé to achieve the look, including the new Dyson Supersonic r dryer and globs of Tresemmé Mega Control gel, which gave the hair that high-shine finish.

Tresemme Mega Control Gel, ₹3,720

At Helmut Lang, the models’ sleek hair had edge. The collection—the second by creative director Peter Do—asked: Is the way we dress armor or adornment? In beauty, that translated to slicked-back hair, worn down, that exuded both confidence and utility. The smoky make-up played with this concept, too. “Make-up artist Daniel Sallstrom wanted the models to look like they had done their make-up perfectly, then stepped outside and faced the elements,” Cat Quinn of MAC Cosmetics said on Instagram.

The sleek styles continued at Coach's Fall/Winter 2024 show, where wet-looking straight hair played a juxtaposition to the delicate pieces within the collection–from coquette-inspired bow sweaters to satin purple ruffle skirts.

We saw plenty of high-shine, sleek hair at the couture shows last month, with Schiaparelli, Fendi, and Giambattista Valli all giving us takes on it it. We expect plenty more this season, in New York, London, Milan, and Paris.

This piece originally appeared in Harper's Bazaar US