Behind the scenes of the Naeem Khan AW18 show, TRESemmé New York Fashion Week stylist Odile Gilbert was racing against the clock to craft a perfect “side slicked braided twist” on every model.
Dubbed France’s “most celebrated female hairstylist,” Gilbert is seasoned when it comes to the chaos of Fashion Week and handles it with poise. Appropriately clean yet complex, the updos that accompanied Khan’s richly colored, ornately embellished pieces down the runway are no easy task to craft, requiring meticulous teasing, curling, and pinning to create the heightened, seashell-like bouffant. However, with some patience and the right products, the “side slicked braided twist” is an elegant hairstyle you can do at home and that is sure to turn heads at any special occasion. During a short break from styling, Odile Gilbert shared some styling tips and what she loves about New York City and NYFW.
The Knockturnal: Can you tell us more about the look for today?
Odile Gilbert: It’s super tight and sleek on the sides. In the front we curl the hair to give it a wave using the TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Heat Protect Spray, we give it a little tease, and then we do a twist in the front that flattens in the back, so we have just one shape. In the back, we do two braids.
The Knockturnal: How does this compliment Naeem Khan’s show?
Odile Gilbert: He wanted something modern for the shape of the face of the girls. He wanted strong makeup and a quite sharp hairstyle.
The Knockturnal: Do you have any tips for people who might want to try this style at home?
Odile Gilbert: You need some hairspray, and blow dry and tease with a teasing brush.
The Knockturnal: What’s your favorite thing about NYFW?
Odile Gilbert: New York is my second city after Paris. I love New York. I feel very comfortable in New York. For me, New York is an international city. You have people from all over the world. It’s always been like that. It’s cold but sunny.
The Knockturnal: What are your favorite things to do in New York City?
Odile Gilbert: Eat, of course, if I have time to sit! I like to walk around, it’s a city that you never hand up to anyone. I could do simple things, like the empire state building, which is my favorite and go around the river. In New York, you always discover something new. I’ve been coming here for at least forty years, but there’s new buildings, there’s always something new, there’s always something that’s changed in a way, yet in a way it’s still the same.
Photos by Reyna Wang and Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for TRESemmé
