Hair Spotter - London Fashion Week 2023

London Fashion Week is held twice a year, the latter of which is in September, sandwiched between similar events in New York, Milan and Paris. 

It is one of the foremost events in the fashion calendar for the world’s biggest fashion houses and emerging talents alike. 

This time around British stalwarts such as Burberry and JW Anderson shared coveted runway space with up-and-comer’s; including musician Skepta; showcasing their inaugural collections. As you can imagine this makes it a hotbed for all things ‘on trend’, or maybe even pre-trend. 

It’s often the case that looks which appear outlandish at the time transport themselves from the catwalk to the street with surprising ease. Some years ago I remember seeing shots of show-goers rocking sandals with socks and bum bags clipped across their torso’s and wondering what on earth they were thinking. Fast forward to the present day and there are three pairs of Birkenstocks and a couple of Uniqlo crossbody bags in our household. 

Of course, there are people far more qualified than myself to comment on the clothes. I’ll leave Vogue and alike to decide what are the next big things and who had a fashion faux pas. However, one thing we at Ruffians do know about is hair, and (perhaps unsurprisingly) it often follows the same trajectory from LFW to the mainstream. 

So, without further ado, here we take a look at a few of the prominent hairstyles from the recent event so that you can get ahead of the curve in what’s likely to be the big looks of the next few months.

Soft Crops

The sharp and precise crop was huge a few years back. A high and tight skin fade teamed with a blunt fringe were commonplace in the barbershop, and still are to a degree.

This year the crop was still a prominent look on the catwalk and in the crowds, however, there were notable differences. 

Gone were the crisp edges and blurry fades, replaced by choppy, somewhat irregular bangs and softer scissor cut sides. 

It’s a great look that requires minimal styling - a bit of salt spray and/or a wee scoop of clay - and less regular trips to the salon than it’s clippered predecessor. And actually very timeless too, a certain Steve McQueen rocked a pretty similar look back in the Sixties. 

Round Shapes

With the huge popularity of skin fades over the past few years, tight square shapes have been the order of the day. It tends to give a flattering and masculine silhouette which can have military tones in the extreme. 

However, many of the prominent looks showcased at LFW this time around have a very different shape. A lot of round-shaped styles were visible, with more weight around the sides, offering a more relaxed aesthetic. 

These looks can be easily adopted by many people but be wary that they tend to best suit those with narrow or angular faces and/or prominent facial features (very common characteristics of models). These looks work particularly well on waves or curls and are more difficult to achieve with straighter or finer hair. 

Plenty of Product

In my secondary school days the most popular products offered a high shine look, from Dax Wax to Brylcreem to wet look gel. However, in more recent times more natural products such as clays and pastes have been the go-to for most gents.

On numerous catwalks, there was a return to a less subtle, more classic vibe. Numerous JW Anderson models were seen sporting sheen-y quiffs and many others weren’t being shy with the product either. 

If you fancy giving this look a go then it’s as simple as swapping your regular pot of the matt stuff for a pomade. Thankfully, these days the good ones tend to be water based rather than oil, meaning that (unlike the gems of my GCSE days) they can be washed out easily. 

Buzz Cuts 

Pandemic lockdowns meant some unlikely sights, one of them being a rapid increase in the number of buzz cuts. Much of this was down to the forced closure of barbershops and salons and the need for a trim which could be achieved with some degree of success in your own home. 

It was widely expected that, upon the reopening of shops, many of these would be grown out and normal follicular service would be resumed. However, the buzz cut has continued to be a prominent look and - if LFW is anything to go by - it ain’t going anywhere. 

Sure, these tend to be a more polished version than the at-home trims; often with the sides slightly shorter than the top; but the basis is the same. 

If you want to give this a try then ask your barber or stylist for a longer guard, maybe a three or four, on top combined with a fade on the sides. You’ll struggle to find a trim that requires less day-to-day attention but you will need to get used to getting it cut more often. 

If you want to take the plunge and go for any of these looks, or if you just want to discuss it further, then drop us a line or book into any of our barbershops.