Watching the Emporio Armani show, it was difficult to stay focused on the fashions being paraded down the runway as my gaze was stuck on the model's heads.
The hairstyles at the Milan Fashion Week show weren't elaborate, brightly coloured or large. They were short and mannish, coiled on top of the heads to resemble mohawks and men's hairstyles, some with little bangs tufting out the front. Some of them had hair so tightly woven, it looked buzzed on the sides. It just didn't look right against the distinctly feminine lines of the Fall 2008 collection.
Yet another bit of Trend Candy I hope never becomes a trend....
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Gender-bending Hairstyles
- The rise of non-traditional and androgynous hairstyles for women offers opportunities for salons and cosmetology schools to create new services and training programs.
- Challenging Beauty Norms
- As consumers seek to break free from traditional beauty ideals, there are opportunities for makeup, skincare, and hair care companies to offer unconventional and inclusive products.
- Subverting Gender Stereotypes
- Designers and marketers who incorporate gender-bending looks within their campaigns could appeal to a younger consumer base who feel less constrained by gender norms.
Where This Applies
- Beauty
- The beauty industry, including salons and cosmetology schools, can capitalize on the rise of gender-bending hairstyles and the desire for unconventional products and services.
- Fashion
- Designers who experiment with androgynous and gender-bending styles could capture the attention of consumers who seek to challenge traditional beauty norms.
- Marketing
- Marketers who feature gender-bending looks in their campaigns could target a younger audience who reject traditional gender roles and are seeking more diverse representation in media.
