This ’80s crimper just made a comeback on the wavy hair looks at Siriano’s runway
What if a tool forgotten for forty years was all it took to turn a hairstyle into a style statement? That’s exactly what hairstylist Lacy Redway pulled off at Christian Siriano’s spring/summer 2027 show in September 2026, bringing the crimping iron back to life to create what she calls the “enchanted crimp”. The technique redefines what curly, textured hair can bring to a runway look.
A technique that reinvents textured hair without overwhelming it
The “enchanted crimp” is built on a simple but effective idea: don’t crimp the entire head of hair. Redway explains that the hair is first straightened with a flat iron, then the crimping iron comes in to create horizontal bands of texture, distributed across different sections depending on hair length. These bands run through the hair at regular intervals, like ridges laid across a smooth surface.
On the models, the result looks like pronounced, wavy zones of texture sitting on sheets of perfectly straight hair, swept behind the ears. The style is anchored by a centre part. In this way, the textured hair isn’t the heart of the look, it’s the accent, almost an accessory.
What truly sets this approach apart from the ’80s versions is the complete absence of volume. The looks of that era leaned into crimped texture from root to tip, dense and voluminous. Here, softness remains dominant, and the crimps only appear in flashes, catching the light as the hair moves.
The key products and steps to achieve the effect
Shine plays a central role in the final result. Redway prepped the hair with the Tresemmé A-List Collection All-In-One Style Primer and the brand’s Extra Hold Mousse, before blow-drying with flat and round brushes. This step ensures a smooth, even base, essential for the contrast of textures to work.
- Apply primer and hold mousse before drying
- Blow-dry carefully with flat and round brushes to smooth the base
- Spritz targeted sections with hairspray before using the crimping iron
- Crimp horizontally by sections, distributed according to hair length
- Run a styling oil through the whole head for shine and a glossy finish
After crimping, Redway applied a styling oil throughout the hair to give it the luminous finish that complemented Christian Siriano’s ethereal looks. Because shine isn’t a detail here, it reinforces the contrast between the smooth and crimped sections, giving the whole style a polished visual coherence.
Wavy, textured hair made wearable for everyday
Redway doesn’t expect women to recreate this look exactly in their daily lives. But she’s convinced the show will inspire simpler, more wearable versions. She imagines, for example, a crimp placed on either side of the head, in the same way you might position a hair clip.
It’s an appealing idea because it makes textured hair accessible without complex tools or advanced technique. One crimping iron, two targeted sections, and the hairstyle shifts entirely. This minimalist approach also adapts well to many different lengths and hair types.
When texture becomes a choice, not a constraint
What the “enchanted crimp” offers is a new way of thinking about textured hair: no longer as a full-on style, but as a detail you choose to incorporate or not. Crimped texture becomes a tool for personalisation, subtle but visible, adding movement without weighing the style down.
Because the key to this trend is restraint. Redway herself insists on knowing when to stop. Too much crimping, and you’re back in ’80s territory. Just enough, and the hairstyle gains real sophistication. It’s a balance to strike, between smooth and textured, between held-back and full of character.
