Essential Looks Revealed

The much-anticipated Essential Looks 2024 by Schwarzkopf Professional was unveiled to a full-house of hair artists at a mega event. Trends and techniques were the highlights as stars of the hair world took the stage by storm. Priyanka Parshurami brings a special report.

Schwarzkopf Professional unveiled the latest global hair trends at the India edition of Essential Looks 2024, a flagship property by the brand that delivers key trends in hair. Held on June 5, 2024, at the Jio Convention Centre, Mumbai, the event hosted leading salon chains such as LOOKs, Toni&Guy, Headmasters, BBlunt, Page 3, Lakme, YLG, and others. With the country’s leading hairstylists, beauty influencers, and industry insiders, this was a celebration of cutting-edge innovation and style, featuring the brand’s Hair Muse Mira Kapoor as the glamorous showstopper along with 34 models walking the ramp. The event also included installations about the leading trends as well as a riveting dance per formance.

The event opened with a welcome note from Kartik Kaushik, Country Head, Henkel Consumer Brands India and South Asia, followed by the unveiling of an exclusive global film highlighting the four global trends of the season: The Optimists, New Realities, Daring Crowd and Lived in Blonde. Schwarzkopf Professional’s Hair Artist Kollectiv (HAK) demonstrated and showcased looks inspired by these trends.

Hair Meisters Ryan D’Rozario, Deepak Jalhan and Vaishakhi Haria (HAK) took up inspiration from each trend and localised it to fit Indian sensibilities.

Elaborating on their showcase of looks inspired by the trends, Jalhan says, “I created looks based on inspiration from the trend “Daring Crowd”. It is ideal for today’s era. Seeing how GenZ loves to express their true selves and stand out, I wanted this trend to really work for Indian hair textures. So, I created a look that’s not just super fashionable but also easy to manage. It’s all about celebrating the beauty of curly hair while giving you tons of styling options to make a bold statement.”

“I drew inspiration from the global looks to create looks that suit Indian hair textures and sensibilities while staying true to the trend. I have used four elements which denote happiness and optimism: emojis like smiles, hearts, butter flies and bows,” explained Haria.

“I focused on New Realities, a trend that resonates deeply with today’s generation by blending the vibrancy and creativity of digital worlds with the physical one. By experimenting with this look, I infused a futuristic style in the haircut, with layers of color, capturing a sense of eternal youthfulness that mirrors the lifestyle and technology that we interact with daily,” elaborated D’Rozario.

Schwarzkopf Professional Global Ambassadors Lesley Jennison and Tyler Johnston Created the finalè look for the brand’s Hair Muse Mira Kapoor, blending global trends with Indian sensibilities. She said, “Being the showstopper for Essential Looks 2024 was an incredible experience, especially since it was my first time taking centrestage at a hair show. Working with the Schwarzkopf Professional team is a delight; their talent and vision always lead to exceptional and inspiring results. Hair colour and styling are so important when it comes to completing any look, and this team excels at it.”

Jennison, a globally acclaimed colourist, infused Kapoor’s hair with subtle beige highlights, baby lights and microlights, complimented them with rich, warm brown and chocolate tones. Johnston, known for his innovative techniques, enhanced her look with expertly cut layers and glamorous, polished waves.

The audience also witnessed the launch of IGORA ZERO AMM with Mira Kapoor as the brand muse. It is a revolutionary technology that promises vibrant, long-lasting colour with intense care.

The show left the hairdressers buzzing with inspiration, excited to bring fresh creativity back to their craft.

PBHJ