Alicia Vikander at The Elle Style Awards

Hair by Leigh Keates

Alicia Vikander at The Elle Style Awards - Hair by Leigh Keates

Leigh Keates featured in Fudge PAPER

Leigh Keates for Cloud Nine

When STYLIST Became Art by Leigh Keates

I arrived at Stylist Magazine head offices at 7.45am for a cover shoot and all I'd been told was that I had two girls that needed to be made identical, 15 minutes per girl with a car picking us up at 8.15am, to take us to the Saatchi Gallery.

It's not often you get to shoot in places like the Saatchi gallery, but apparently the girls were 'to become the art'. As we were shooting them from behind it was decided that we go for a Pony, keeping the sides sleek and adding slight volume on top, effective but not ideal with such time restrictions.

I popped a touch of mousse on the hair line and dried in. Once dry, I layered with Redken Quicktease and back combed the top section with a Kent backcombing brush. I gathered into a pony with my Mason & Pearson, ensuring that the back and sides were sleek without compromising the volume at the top. I tied with a 'bungy' and wrapped a piece of hair from the pony to conceal the bungy elastic.



I repeated on the second model and we jumped straight in the taxi.  At the Saatchi gallery the cleaners were still going about there morning routine as we set up. Every one knew what needed to be done and we was wrapped by 10am, just in time for the gallery to open .

To follow Leigh on Twitter here.
      

'Opium' - 1883 Magazine - How to get the look By Leigh Keates

My first print shoot with 1883 magazine and I've got to say I really am chuffed, I love the darkness to the story, fitting perfectly with title of the issue 'A dark romance'.

The Dries Van Noten collection was stunning, and not to mention the the jewels that were escorted in by their very own minder and  worth more than my house, or possibly my street!

I loved what we did with the hair,  I pin curled and set each of the three girls using my Cloud Nine wand, then one by one shook the curls like a mad man creating a much looser texture. 

Parting the hair to the centre I then mixed Tigi serum and Tigi wet look gel in order to decrease the gels stickiness and enhance the serums hold- a perfect consistency to slick down the girls hair from the crown to the tip of the ear. To keep the glimmering finish of the gelled area, I went to town with the Tigi shine spray.

See the full story here.
Follow Leigh on Twitter here.

'Fighter' - 1883 Magazine by Leigh Keates

I worked on this shoot with the lovely Holly (Ounstead) from 1883 and talented photographer Neil Francis Dawson.

The inspiration for the hair in this story came from the iconic Chanel 'Underwater' show.
I piled on the mousse and added Tigi Styling cream to prevent the mousse drying to crispy. Using a wide tooth comb I gathered the hair, leaving a side part, and tied at the back before loosely twisting into a wetlook chignon. Adding a touch of Tigi wet look gel to hairline to stop it from drying fluffy. A final douse of Tigi Weightless shine spray shine spray for extra sheen and the first look was ready.

For the second look we let the hair down, staying within the 'Chanel' theme I lightly spritzed with water and added a little more styling cream. We had fun playing around with this look, switching from having the hair, strategically placed over our models face to slicking it behind her ears.

We finished with the hair up and off the models face again, but this time went for a super sleek wet look top-knot, spraying almost point blank with shine spray to finish.

A last minute shoot that resulted in working with a great team, producing great results.

See the full story and credits here.
Follow Leigh on Twitter here. 

Introducing Hair Stylist Leigh Keates

Leigh at work on the Firetrap Campaign

I am delighted to announce that award winning hair stylist Leigh Keates has joined the agency. He was crowned as Creative Head Magazines Fashionista’ and One to Watch’ 2011/12. He was also shortlisted as a finalist in several other national competitions for 2010/11.





Leigh started hairdressing in 2003 and this year joined the Josh Wood Atelier in Holland Park in order to pursue his session dreams whilst continuing to take care of his valued clientele. 



As well as working on teams during Paris and London fashion weeks, Leigh has worked for editorials including Tatler, Harpers Bazaar, L'Officiel, Dazed & Confused, Super Super, The Observer, NME, 125 Magazine and Creative Head and clients include Firetrap, Sunday Girl, BOY London, Victoria Beckham, Camilla Rutherford and Monsoon.

Follow Leigh on Twitter here.

See Leigh's step by step for Retro Waves in Grazia Magazine here.