TH1 Hair’s Autumn/Winter Colour Predictions

Thomas Hills, Director of TH1 Hair has revealed his hair colour predictions for Autumn/Winter 2019...

Dirty Peach

When you think of peach, do you automatically think of the ladylike, barely-there apricot washes we saw everywhere over summer, thanks in no small part to the influence of Marc Jacobs?

Well, for this season, you can forget all about the delicate peachy hues of seasons past, as this year’s hottest fruit reference has had a tough makeover. AW19 is all about dirty peach - a gritty antidote to the fresh and juicy tones we’ve become used to seeing, and a far edgier and more refreshing alternative.

Sies Marjan and Coach’s models demonstrated beautifully how to take a pretty feminine hue and grime it up, rocking the runway with punchy, high-octane murky peach lengths, paired with a good couple of inches of visible dark roots. For these looks we created something similar, blending a range of faded and dirty peach tones for looks that perfectly depict this ripe new trend.

Jet Set

Everything about Prada’s Autumn/Winter ’19 hair offering is extreme: think XXL lengths (courtesy of extensions), braids so severe they’d make Wednesday Addams proud, and an intensely inky Goth-inspired dye-job. Prada wasn’t the only one sending jet black locks down the runway: the look was spotted at Giambattista Valli, Marni and Thom Browne too, and former blonde model Lara Mullen walked the Chloé, McQueen and Givenchy runways with freshly dyed black hair.

We created this very tone for this look: there is something very alluring about hair so black it must be courtesy of a colourist. While extreme, this jet-black hue can actually be surprisingly flattering on many different complexions and skintones, however certain clients should be warned against it. If your client has very light hair, or wants to revert back to blonde, then they need to be warned what a long and potentially damaging process this may be. Upkeep increases as the natural lightness of your client’s hair increases – those with naturally mid to dark brown roots can get away with longer between colour appointments.

Finally, natural tone should also be taken into consideration when recreating this trend. For clients with naturally brassy tones and lots of natural warmth to their hair, I would use a base that’s more ashy or violet to counter the unwanted red tones, and to keep this colour as blue-black as Prada et al intended this season.

Out Of This World

Otherworldly colours aren’t just reserved for Instagram: across the catwalk this fashion week we saw all manner of ethereal hues and unearthly metallics. At Mary Katrantzou we saw the pastel trend evolve into ‘colour clouds’ – blurred-out sections of bold colour, with a softened appearance and diffused finish. Over at Erdem, there was heavy focus on pearly colours reminiscent of gemstones and precious metals, with pearlescent opal being the standout hue for me.

These two very different looks are our nod to this trend. Both use a similar colour palette of metallic grey and delicate pink, but different application techniques provide two very different styles. While one is a dreamy blend of shades painted and smudged on to hair to create an exquisite watercolour-esque finish, the other is a more definitive, almost cosmic look, full of assertiveness and artificial-looking shine, both sure to be a huge hit this season.

Burn Baby Burn

Redheads seemed to be the most heavily booked models at fashion week this season, with striking flame-haired models, including the ethereal-looking Sara Grace Wallerstedt and the stunning Sarah Dahl, showing off their burnt copper locks at Chanel, Loewe, Rodarte, Prabal Gurung and Blumarine. This head-turning shade has already filtered from catwalk to red carpet – Game Of Thrones’ Sophie Turner dyed her trademark blonde locks burnt copper – and I predict a surge of client requests for this vibrant, statement hue as the leaves on the trees start to turn in the same direction.

For this look we created a very energetic take on burnt copper – and the results were fierce. What’s special about this colour is that it can be tailor-made bespoke to each client – so don’t let differences in complexion, natural hair colour, brow colour and eye-shade be a barrier. This colour trend also gives you license to get creative, as burnt copper can be made as muted or as intense as your client desires.