From Loewe to Miu Miu, a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the seasonal style showcase with hair stylist Aude-Andrea Gbazi.

Fendi:
For Gbazi, shows are usually two-day jobs. The first is a day of prep in which hair is tested and approved. The second is show-day, which implies building and perfecting the looks amidst the organized chaos of backstage. 
 
This season, Kim Jones’ collection for Fendi was inspired by Rome, where the brand’s headquarters are based. Showcasing architectural yet fluid silhouettes, looks were punctuated with its signature bags. 
 
“Fendi’s hairstyle this season was a clean and neat ponytail. In itself, this style is relatively simple but was completely elevated with the insert in the middle of the hair part, which gives it a couture-like dimension. This insert is in reality a little piece of paper which prolongs the part neatly to the forehead of the models.” 
 
Fashion week for Gbazi can be both a sprint and a marathon as shows are often back to back. This season was no different, as she rushed out of Fendi’s showspace to head over for preparations at Prada.

Prada: 
 
This season for Prada, Palau concocted a complex hairstyle which meant that his entire team including Gbazi had to train in order to be able to master it. The style in question? A wrap. “A wrap consists of wrapping the hair with a fixing product in order to make the head appear as small as possible. It sounds easy but it’s highly technical,” explains Gbazi.

A typical schedule backstage involves an early call-time, a lot of prepping, a little bit of waiting and plenty of serendipity. One thing that is constant across the show is the rehearsal, for which the entire cast needs to be present in order to teach the models the choreography and to let them know about the intention they need to carry as they walk. Additionally, it’s crucial for each person to understand how all of the elements interact with each other, such as styling, hair, makeup and light. 
 
“For rehearsals, there’s always a small window of time—whether it’s five or 15 minutes—for everything to fall together. Since time is so precious, we take advantage of this to carry on hair and makeup so there are at least a few girls completely ready and so the team can judge what needs to be changed or adjusted.”

Dior: 
 
While Dior’s runway looks often boast romantic braids, this season Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri in collaboration with Guido Palau decided on a more pared-back look. “We used two different techniques for the same style, depending on whether the model had textured hair or not. For untextured hair we used mousse, while for textured hair we first straightened it and then used lacquer [over top] as the mousse would have given the hair its texture back.

Models getting ready to enter the show space at the Dior SS24 show.

Like most backstages, Dior’s was busy, with a mix of prep, styling, photo captures and interviews. Unique to Dior SS24, though, was the presence of a palm reader who went around the room to predict the models’ fortunes, as well as an impromptu catchup between Dior ambassador Anya Taylor-Joy and Dior Beauty Creative &amp; Image Director Peter Philips.

Loewe:
Loewe’s show took place on the outskirts of Paris at the Château de Vincennes, a former royal fortress built in the 14th century. Since the show was scheduled for 11 AM, most of the team’s call time was at six, leaving just enough time to prepare for the show. This far along in the fashion month circuit is often known to be a tough time for models and creatives alike, with a succession of countless hairdos, prep days and early call-times. “When we arrive in Paris, everyone is so tired and it’s difficult to find moments of playfulness, so generally speaking the backstage is a little less lively and more focused.” 
 
“The hairstyle for the Loewe Spring/Summer 2024 show was a wet ponytail with a side part, with hair extending down the sides of the face akin to sideburns. It was very ’60s and teddy girls in the way hair was brushed on the side. I was also wearing these 'sideburns' when I came to the show, so I like to joke that I inspired Guido for this look.”

A glimpse of the Miu Miu SS24 finale captured backstage by hairstylist Aude-Andrea Gbazi.

Miu Miu 
 
For Gbazi, the fashion week marathon ended with Miu Miu, a show that’s historically been held on the last day of Paris Fashion Week and has remained one of the most anticipated over the past few years. Prada’s little sister brand has seen an exponential growth thanks to the reinvigoration of Lotta Volkova’s styling that has helped catapult micro-minis as must-haves.

“When this show comes around everyone is really tired. We all love doing it and always look forward to seeing what Miuccia [Prada] and Lotta are going to do, but we’re also in a hurry for the season to wrap and get some well-deserved rest,” shares Gbazi. “For this show, Guido was extremely hands-on and did the touch-up for every single girl, which represents a colossal amount of work. We all have to judge the exact right amount of product needed. A little too much or too little and the effect doesn’t work. The same attention to details is given to all other elements, such as styling. For this show, for example, Lotta herself stuffed all the bags to create that overflowing effect that everyone talked about.” 
 
For Gbazi, the Miu Miu show marks the end of a busy season and stands as one of the few shows where she can celebrate with her team without having to rush to another venue. “​The Miu Miu finale is always a joyful moment as we’re not in a rush anymore. We can finally spend a bit of time with each other, sip on champagne and celebrate the end of a busy season—until the next one!”

Discover key trends of the Spring/Summer 2024 womenswear season <a href="https://www.goat.com/editorial/spring-summer-2024-fashion-week-trends">here</a>.

Backstage Beauty at Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks SS24

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