layered haircuts and fringes

Adversus.asia meets Lorena Severi, Italian hairstylist at "The Philip George Salon", in Central, Hong Kong. Lorena has spent most of her life working and travelling around the world, and thanks to her background and her international experience she has a fresh and original point of view on the latest hair trends in Asia, with a special focus on Hong Kong where she has been based for the last three years.


Cindarella” by Lorena Severi
We met Lorena during a beautiful December morning, chilly but very sunny, and we talked about the latest and trends in hairstyles and about the new haircuts. And we also talked about do's and don'ts in hair trends, techniques, style, and hair colour for women. Here is what she told us.

Where should we start from, if we decide it is about time to change our hairstyle and follow the latest trends?

First of all, seeing a professional and skilled hairdresser is a must. It is important that the hairdresser of your choice knows how to work your hair, but he of she must also have style and taste and should be able to give you the right advice about your haircut, keeping in mind the actual hair trends, your personality, facial features and lifestyle, all at the same time.

Don't judge a hair dresser by the amount of time he or she spends working on your hair. I, myself, don't need hours to get a nice hair cut. Sometimes a good haircut can actually be done very quickly.

The time spent in the hair salon is no indicator of the quality of the hair stylist (nor is it the quantity of scissors she or he uses, I only need one pair of scissors and a razor to create a good hair cut).

The only thing you have to look at is the final result and how it lasts in time. A hair cut must not only look good when you leave the hair salon, but - that is important - also the day after. If the haircut is done well you should only have to pass your fingers through your hair, and go out!

Nowadays hairdressers and hair stylist must also be willing to experiment. Every time a client comes in for a hair cut, I 'reinvent' the hair cut I did on her the previous time. Nowadays, hair style and also hair colours do not last a year or six months anymore. They need to be re-touched and reshaped every two or three months. It is a constant evolution, a creative process that you have to live together with your personal hair stylist.


Borderline - Lorena Severi Hair Styling
What are the latest hair trends for spring/summer 2011?

Layered haircuts are very popular. We also give a nod to fringes again. Personally I think it is very modern to combine a layered haircut with a very straight fringe.

And what can you tell us about the hair colours?

As for the hair colours, they are getting more natural. We do not work with solid hair colours anymore. Opt in for natural colour shades and make sure your hair stylist uses more than one colour at the time, in order to obtain a natural and glamorous result. One of the hairstyles I created for SS 2011 is called 'Cinderella'. This hair style is all about the colouring and it contains three different shades, which guarantee a very natural effect.

What about Asian women?

For Asian women I recommend cold colours, to contrast the high percentage of red pigment Asian hair typically contain. Go for colours as ash, or bluish shades, but make sure that your hair colouring complements your skin and eye colour.

For SS 2011 I also presented a hairstyle which is all about 'Balayage', a high light technique I like very much. 'Balayage' is an art. The high lights are painted on by hand from the base to the tip of the hair, following the natural colour nuances in the hair.

It is much less time consuming than the 'traditional' highlight procedures, with the hair wrapped in folio and it is very easy to maintain. It also keeps your hair healthier, because retouching the roots does not involve the whole lengths of the hair. I learned this technique in the '80 from Bruno Pietrini, artistic Director of Jacques Dessange. After all these years the technique is still en vogue and it has no equals. Unluckily not many hairdressers in Asia are familiar with the 'Balayage' technique.

Another technique I like is the use of the razor, which is indicated especially for Asian hair, which is thick and heavy and allows you to literally 'sculpt' it as you like.

What hair style would you recommend for the young and trendy girl?

For the young girl I created a summer 2011 look which I called 'Borderline': a straight fringe with a straight horizontal colour line (e.g. red) at the very end of the fringe. Compare it with the French Manicure for the nails. It's a very trendy hair do and especially indicated for young and trendy people.

This season also very short haircuts make their comeback but I would recommend to keep the hair in the neck a little bit longer. I like bob lines but I do not like short haircuts with highly shaved or short layered napes of neck in the back. A woman is like a flower, a jewel, and should always have a feminine haircut, to enhance her grace and loveliness.

What about curly hair in Asia?

More than curly hair, I would opt for some 'uncontrolled movement' for a very sexy and kind of natural looking 'messy look'. To create this effect on Asian hair I sometimes use a very light perm that is applied by hand and only done on the tips of the hair. This kind of perm provides a nice and natural movement and last only two haircuts, so you are also ready to move on to a newer and more modern hair style.

Which 'style-mistakes' do you often see on the streets of Hong Kong?

People tend to follow the trends too literally. Never follow a trend just because it is a trend. Always choose a hair style that suits your own personality and face type. And be sure that the hair cut and the hair colour complement each other, that everything is balanced. Do not stick with habits, but use your fantasy instead.