Crimped Hair Returns at NYFW, Reinvented for 2027

Crimped hair is back on the runway at New York Fashion Week—but not in the all-over '80s format the style is known for. Designers this season deployed crimps strategically: tucked inside updos, blended with flat-iron waves, or placed to sculpt the face.

At Christian Siriano, hairstylist Lacy Redway created what she called an "enchanted crimp," featuring strategically placed crimps to give a "folklore" feel. Redway prepped the hair with TRESemmé's A-List Bonding Oil to achieve a sleek, glossy base before setting the crimps throughout.

Christian Cowan's show took a similar approach. Hairstylist Justine Marjan crimped rogue pieces within the hair—both in updos with crimped front-framing pieces and in low ponytails—then blended the bends with irregular flat-iron waves to soften the dramatic effect and make it more wearable. She used the A-List Collection Dry Texturizing Spray to give the hair an intentionally imperfect finish.

Area went the most structural route. Hairstylist Joey George added crimps around the eyes and chin on the models to emphasize bone structure and create face-framing accents. The looks complemented Area's Spring/Summer 2027 collection, which was created with unconventional materials—a fitting match for hair that leaned unconventional as well.

For anyone wary of the trend, the full mermaid-wave commitment is not required come spring. A few expertly placed crimps offer an easier entry point, without feeling like a time warp back to the '80s or the first drugstore crimper of the '90s. Whether the look translates from runway to retail remains the test for Spring/Summer 2027.