The look can seem subversive, he said, projecting an audacious femininity. It is a rule-breaker, flying in the face of the unfussy bed head and other low-maintenance styles that have dominated beauty culture of late.
The renewed popularity of Marcel waves reflects a notable aesthetic shift. “The era of insouciance has a passed,” said Fabrice Gili, the creative director at the Frédéric Fekkai salon. “People are thinking beyond conventional beauty and trying to project a bit of a stronger look.”
And now, after lockdowns, they are returning to salons. “We were so D.I.Y. for a while,” said Stephanie Bong, the editorial director of Behind the Chair, a trade publication for salon professionals. “But we are exiting the fun, beachy wave era and putting the heating iron back into stylist’s hands. The ‘done’ look is cool again.”
The style is most easily created on short wavy hair, but it can be adapted to varying textures, densities and lengths. “It can give a relatively lived-in look or project a sleek, old Hollywood glamour,” Ms. Bong said.
Adriano Cattide, the creative director at the Drawing Room, a popular salon in SoHo, is more cautious. “Medium to fine textured hair certainly can work, but short, naturally wavy hair definitely helps,” he said. “When the hair is too thick, the style becomes harder to pull off.” Mr. Cattide may work with an iron to give fine, straight hair a bouncy base before attempting the more rigid waves that are a bit like raffia to the touch.
Clients at the Drawing Room tend to request waves spontaneously. “They may just tell us, ‘I’m going out tonight, and I want to do something fun and fresh,’” said Tyler Hearn, the manager of the salon. The look is a hit with adventurous patrons of varying races and ethnicities.
