By Natalia Alexa Sy
Prim, diet-conscious, romantic.
These are the words that come to mind when picturing the average French girl. However, L’Oreal Professionnel’s Majirel #FrenchBrowns collection proves that French girls are anything but stiff, with their variety of brown locks, bluntly chopped hair and messy tousles.
Held at the Grand Ballroom of Shangri-la at The Fort, the grand hair show and reveal of #FrenchBrowns by Majirel was a reflection of the brand’s 10-shade collection: sophisticated, elegant and trendy. With artistic corridors resembling the busy streets of Paris, live models posing as mannequins in boutique windows and live French-themed musicians roaming the event, its effortlessly chic feel was what gave guests the feel of being transported to France.
L’Oreal Professionnel International Portfolio Artist, world-renowned hairstylist Berni Ottjes showed guests via a live demonstration of haircuts and trends that Filipino women can achieve a French girl’s hair regardless of the time zone.
“I think it’s very important to try something different even though sometimes it’s not your thing,” said Ottjes.
Ottjes showcased three segments while featuring a fashion collection by Filipino designer Francis Libiran, who used the #FrenchBrowns collection as inspiration for the gowns.
“We wanted to design pieces any French girl would wear from day to night. French women are particular about the colors and textures of their clothes and so are we,” said the Libiran design team.
The fashion ensemble consisted of timeless pastel hues and a minimalist aesthetic that highlighted the subtlety and sophistication of both French and Filipinos.
“We want to ease [clients’] selection process so we created pieces in hues that complement the color brown. After all, we believe that hair should not limit what you wear,” explained the design team.
Libiran added, “Hair, just like clothes, can be a statement. It can reflect your personality — from your choice of cut to your preference in color. French girls are known for their polished, sophisticated and totally laid-back hairstyles. Gorgeous hair can guarantee to turn heads whereas bad hair can make or break an outfit.”
Having said that, Ottjes encouraged Filipinas to step out the usual comfort zone by experimenting with new hairstyles. He noticed that girls in this country kill to achieve the extremely straight and tamed hair, whereas in Europe, French girls aim for the striking and effortless bob.
“That’s why it was challenging [for me] to come to the Philippines because of all the keratin [and] all the smooth hair. I wanted to do it totally different,” shared Ottjes.
“I wanted to show you just the rough hair and elegance, the effortlessness that we will see. [That] even though you wear your hair like this, it still looks great,” he explained during the third segment of the demonstration, transforming a model’s normal wavy hair into what can only be described as an art form.
Ottjes’ tips and tricks remind Filipinas that it is possible to look polished yet effortless at the same time, a sophisticated quality that the #FrenchBrowns collection possesses. It embodies the typical French girl: a girl who is neither prim, diet-conscious nor romantic, but a girl who has what they call Je ne sais quoi — a striking quality that cannot be explained.
To know more, visit www.lorealprofessionnel.com.