BROWNIE POINTS

Who says blondes have to have all the fun? By and large on the Fall/Winter runways, models’ strands were awash in shades of rich chocolate, espresso and midnight brown. If anything, the catwalk offered direct evidence that these deeper hues are incredibly versatile, as the darkened dye jobs were subsequently whipped up into styles that ranged from edgy to sophisticated to severe and downright Goth-y.  The key to perfecting this season’s brown is to keep it monotone — no need for highlights, lowlights, ombré or any other add-ons that would create excessive dimension. Ideally, the hair should be saturated, allover from root to end, in one singular shade of deep, dark brown for maximum impact.

The best example of this Fall’s dark hair movement was spotted at Proenza Schouler, where hairstylist Paul Hanlon fashioned a quartet of brunettes (models Melissa Stasiuk, Lida Fox, Kel Markey and Maria Bradley). Enlisting the help of Frédéric Fekkai’s Ben Gregory and Mari Ohashi, the color was a matte, near-black espresso that was styled with tons of texture, a natural bend and in some cases, heavy fringe. The hair at Balmain echoed Proenza, as it was slightly mussed, unquestionably texturized and left to hang freely in the models’ faces. Elsewhere, at Giambattista Valli, models like Katryn Kruger, Isabella Melo and Ava Smith had their dark brown locks deeply side-parted, with the top layer slicked, swept across the forehead and pinned down for a somewhat severe yet polished look. Lastly, the Goth girls at Givenchy had their darkened locks center parted, pulled back into a loose, low ponytail and sometimes tucked into a thick silk neck scarf.

If you’re planning on taking the plunge with a dark brown hue, schedule a single process treatment with your colorist. As stated earlier, highlights and lowlights would detract from the striking effect created by one allover color. Fortunately, richer and deeper browns will flatter most complexions, although they look particularly striking against fairer skin tones (which makes Fall an ideal time for this trend to take off, seeing as most of our summer tans are a thing of the distant, distant past). Once you and your colorist have arrived at your perfect shade of brilliant brunette, you’ll realize firsthand what brown can really do for you.

by Gianna Froccaro