Behind the Scenes: New York Fashion Week with a Lake Charles Hair Stylist

Considered one of the premier fashion events in the world, New York Fashion Week features the industry’s top designers presenting their upcoming collections in a series of runway shows and presentations. Taking place in the spring and fall, designers show collections for the season ahead.

And while fashion may be the main focus, hair direction serves as a major focal point for each show during the week-long event. Designers work with hairstylists to create a look to reflect not only the collection, but the experiences and emotions that inspired it.

At the spring 2023 Fashion Week, where the fall and winter styles were revealed, renowned hairdresser

Laurent Philippon invited Lensi White to be his 1st assistant. White has been in the industry for over 16 years and recently opened her own studio in Lake Charles.

This was not White’s first trip to New York Fashion Week. She has worked as a stylist on several past shows, including for Philippon, but this was her first time as his assistant. “Laurent has always been my ‘hair hero,’” says White. “He has a distinctive style and a commitment to the art of hair that is so inspiring. It was an honor to work so closely with him; I learned so much. ”

Philippon and White provided styling for two shows, Christian Cowan and Adeam. White says she had worked with both designers in the past and was thrilled to have the opportunity again. “Both designers’ composition was new and contemporary, but the heart of their branding remained the same,” says White.

She said she aligns very much with Cowan’s fashion sense. “His designs are confident, bold and eye-catching because he designs and shapes with color, and always lots of glam, glitz, and feathers. I love how involved and dedicated he is. He was so hands on – he adjusted every single model’s look before they walked. His shows usually involve overdone hair and makeup, which I love, but we took a different approach this season to complement the collection and make it pop. We went with very smooth round-brushed hair and minimal natural makeup. It was so refreshing.”

White says Adeam’s inspiration for her new collection came from her prior punk era of Green Day rock music. “You could totally see that come through her usually very sophisticated clothing. It was still sophisticated, but there was definitely a slight bit of grunge in the mix. She even got Asian rock star Miyaki to perform with his electric guitar during the show. Talk about energy!”

There’s more Fashion Week ahead for White. She has been invited multiple times to work Paris Fashion Week and plans to attend that next season and work alongside Philippon once again. “It’s a dream to work Fashion Week and I’m so grateful and humbled that God has opened up such doors. It’s so inspiring and gives me the opportunity to bring back the latest style influences to my clients in Southwest Louisiana and furthers my mission to continue growing where God has placed me.”