For Cyndia Harvey, hairstyling is a form of artistic escapism. Harvey– who grew up in her mother’s hair salon in London– began doing hair professionally at the age of 17. Since then, she has worked with the likes of British Vogue, Jacquemus, Marc Jacobs and many more. “Hairdressing has always been a way for me to get lost. I love the tactility of being a hairstylist,” the award-winning hairstylist tells ESSENCE. “I’ve always loved the process of creating and using my hands to physically problem-solve.”
More recently, she launched her own brand, This Hair of Mine, with a soothing Scalp Serum, in 2022. The product “gives the scalp everything it craves to maintain strong and healthy roots,” she says. “It’s just one simple step and can be integrated at any point into your hair care routine.”
And, much like the approach she takes with her brand, Harvey of course prioritizes hair health while backstage during fashion month, too. This is much appreciated as models are expected to change their hair up to four times a day– and often not met with the utmost care due to the fast-paced environment. “I have first hand experience of how stressful this can be on the hair, scalp and on the models themselves,” Harvey shares. “I started to think about how we can make this process more healthy for the models and that is how This Hair of Mine was born.”
With the help of her trusted scalp serum, Harvey was able to create awe-inspiring looks– without the wear and tear– throughout the London Fashion Week Spring 2024 season. That included everything from off-center parts at Simone Rocha to sharp, contrasting textures at KNWLS.
Below, Harvey breaks down the look from each show.
Simone Rocha
The inspiration:
“The Simone Rocha SS24 hair look was inspired by a sense of authenticity. Models’ hair was kept natural and pure. The imperfections were accentuated with a slight morning dew finish. The same feeling was applied to Afro-textured hair– off centered parting lived in box braids with a high gloss finish.”
The technique:
For this look it was all about the quality and freshness of the hair. L’Oréal Professionnel Techni Art Pli Shaper spray was used as a styling primer to give shape and memory to the hair while keeping a soft texture and natural feel. L’oreal Professionnel Liss Control Serum was used to gloss the ends of braids.
Supriya Lele
The inspiration:
“The Supriya Lele SS24 hair look this season exemplified ‘dewy-hair’. Fresh and sexy with a personalized attitude.”
The technique:
“To get the dewy-hair look you must first start off with freshly washed hair. For this look, we started off by applying This Hair of Mine Scalp Serum directly onto the scalp, mid-lengths and ends of the hair. This not only nourishes the scalp and strands, but acts as a priming foundation to ensure that lasting dewy-hair finishes. For Afro-textured hair we enhanced this dewy finish with layers of shine spray.”
KNWLS
The inspiration:
The KNWLS SS24 hair look this season was sleek, sexy and strong.
The technique:
“Sharp lines and contrasting textures added dimension and layers, themes that were reflected in the garment.”
