When Bella Hadid first hit the hallowed croisette at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, it was a moment. Known as the Queen of Cannes for always coming armed with statement-making red carpet fashion, this time, she debuted newly dyed blonde hair. While Hadid is a natural blonde, a coffee brunette shade had become her signature. And for the last few months, she has kept up the honey blonde.
Stepping out on the runway of last night’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Hadid showed off a refreshed color, courtesy of her trusted colorist Jacob Schwartz.
“I took Bella from brunette to blonde for Cannes, so this was the evolution of her ‘supermodel blonde,’” Schwartz, a Schwarzkopf Professional U.S. Hair Color Trend Ambassador, tells Vogue. “[The color] had grown out beautifully. We refreshed the base and lifted her natural color slightly to give a darker, golden, natural blonde—think ’90s, 2000s supermodel.”
The tone was still soft and natural, and Schwartz found her hair to be in great condition. “Because her color had been maintained so nicely, we were able to keep things minimal and focus on enhancing shine and her natural dimension rather than doing any extreme lightening,” he says.
With two major outfits on the Victoria’s Secret runway—one silky red lingerie set with a flowing cape and a shimmering silver fringed look with gargantuan floral wings—Hadid’s big, bold blowout was styled by Jawara Wauchope, featuring a deep side-part flipped over for even more volume and movement.
As Hadid is a natural blonde, a lot of the look’s inspiration came from looking back at photos of her as a child. “We were also channeling that classic ’90s supermodel vibe,” says Schwartz. “Think healthy, glossy, touchable blonde that feels both elevated and natural, but still gives a wow factor. The goal was to keep it luminous and soft, with just enough warmth and natural, darker blonde dimension to make it look expensive and runway-ready.”
If you’re looking for a similar type of refresh to your blonde, Schwartz says you can do highlights every 12-14 weeks and lift the base every six weeks to keep the blonde fresh, without having to overlighten it, just like Hadid. They used Schwarzkopf Professional’s Igora Royal to softly lift and refine her tone, which gives just the right amount of lift while keeping the hair healthy and natural-looking.
“The key to maintaining this kind of ‘supermodel blonde’ is focusing on tone and shine rather than constantly lightening,” Schwartz says. “Using a gloss like Igora Vibrance Clear 0-0 helps keep that reflective, glossy finish between color sessions. Whether it’s a first date, movie premiere, or a runway show, I always recommend my clients use something nourishing at home, like the new Rich Hydration Mask by Olaplex, to maintain softness for weeks in between salon visits.”
Speaking of Hadid’s commitment to her lighter shade, Schwartz says he sees a sea change among clients and their current color choices. “I think in general, clients are really gravitating toward their natural color and they want something that feels authentic and effortless,” he says. “For Bella, she’s a model and superstar, so this blonde is such a beautiful return to her natural tone, but with an updated, modern feel.”
