There were two tools that won the popularity contest backstage at New York Fashion Week: Steady fingers and rat-tail combs. Both were used by many stylists (and a few models) to create center parts on symmetrical face after symmetrical face.
This is slightly alarming for those of us whose faces are less perfectly symmetrical, because a center part is not widely regarded as flattering. “Does everyone have a middle part?” an editor anxiously asked backstage at Longchamp during an interview with Redken’s creative director Guido Palau. She seemed to already know the answer, and Palau seemed to sense her concern. “Everyone kind of just, optionally leaned toward it … but, yes,” he replied. “It’s done with a finger, so it feels easy,” he added as a consolation of sorts.
Center parts are also just inherently tricky. Professionals who work with the genetically blessed say that finding your true center part is difficult, even for them. “It’s one of the hardest things for people to do,” said Gary Gill, the lead hairstylist responsible for the center parts at 3.1 Phillip Lim. “I even take a while sometimes,” he admits.
Obviously, Fashion Week doesn’t serve as a mandate to turn your world askew and change the way your hair falls just because beautiful people look good doing it. But should you feel inclined, fall 2019’s runways had enough center-part inspiration every day for two weeks. Tag yourself (I’m 3.1 Phillip Lim):
1. Brandon Maxwell
Center part in the front, “supersonic ballerina” bun in the back. Lead stylist Bob Recine prepped this part with Aveda Phomollient Styling Foam and straightened the hair around it with a Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer.
2. Tibi
Center part in the front, sleek low ponytail in the back. Lead stylist Frank Rizzieri finished this part (and its pony) off with a mist of Aveda Pure Abundance Volumizing Spray.
3. Cushnie
Center part in the front, sleek flat-ironed, low ponytail in the back. Lead stylist Justine Marjan finished this part off with a hit of TRESemmé Compressed Extend Micro Mist Hairspray Hold Level 4.
4. Self-Portrait
Center part in the front, braided chignon in the back. Lead stylist Jimmy Paul smoothed this part and flyaways with Bumble and bumble Bb.Gel.
5. Cong Tri
Center part in the front, pretty looped chignon in the back. Lead stylist Brian Buenaventura
6. Tory Burch
Center part in the front, extremely long braid in the back. Guido Palau prepped this part with Redken’s Satinwear 04 Blow Dry Lotion.
7. Jonathan Simkhai
Center part in the front, textured low ponytail in the back. Lead stylist Odile Gilbert finished this part off with a hit of TRESemmé Compressed Micro Mist Hair Spray Level 1: Texture and used her hands to loosen the hair around it a bit.
8. Tadashi Shoji
Center part in the front, half-up- half-down in the back.
9. Adeam
Center part in the front, Laurent Philippon’s signature “s” wave in the back. Philippon prepped this part with Bumble and bumble Thickening Spray.
10. Longchamp
Center part in the front, shiny and soft texture in the back. Palau prepped this part with Redken Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame before blow-drying or air-drying, depending on each models’ natural texture.
11. Carolina Herrera
Center part in front, each model’s natural texture in the back. Gilbert finished off these parts with a light mist of TRESemmé Compressed Micro-Mist Hairspray in Level 1: Texture.
12. R13
Center part in the front, extremely long hair extensions in the back.
13. Kate Spade
Center part in front, glossy blowouts and curls in the back. Gilbert finished this part off with TRESemmé Compressed Micro-Mist Hairspray Hold Level 4.
14. 3.1 Phillip Lim
Center part in the front, brushed out waves in the back. Gill prepped these parts with Aveda phomollient and Aveda Texture Tonic, then left them alone after hair was dried with a Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer and brushed out.