For beauty watchers, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is synonymous with one thing: bombshell hair. Each year, Angels take to the runway embodying a fairly specific approach to beauty, a tried-and-true formula of extensions, barrel curls, and contouring—factors defining both the brand and the girls who represent it. But Wednesday s show is proof that a more individualistic appeal has taken root, as many of the newest faces on the storied runway were blissfully extension-free. Hairstylist Anthony Turner enjoyed the departure from traditional glamour, skipping curling iron passes in favor of a bit of finger-combed zhooshing and natural texture. "It’s elevated while celebrating who they actually are,” he explained.
Alanna Arrington s face-framing, free-form ringlets were wholly feminine with a bit of edge, while Maria Borges s shorn Afro read cool and contemporary. Dilone has made her name on her short crop, which she wore ironed and deeply parted, and Xiao Wen Ju s shoulder-grazing crop packed just enough bounce to up the ante on the down-to-there wave. This break with convention is one that s been storming runways for seasons, but its arrival on the VS runway marks a more mainstream renaissance. After all, there’s nothing sexier than a woman who embraces her own identity.
