Journal

Hair Musing: Alexis Jae

Hair Musing: Alexis Jae

January might typically be seen as a month of doom and gloom, but that certainly doesn’t mean it has to be boring. And when the sunshine is lacking, sometimes all it takes is a great hairdo to inject some flavour into the month.

We’re taking inspiration from a New York based creative up-and-comer, who’s wild, bleach blonde curls are here to perk January up like a bucket of icy water. Alexis Jae is a model, burgeoning designer and all-round one to watch. We came across her on Instagram (where she sports fur collar coats straight out of Almost Famous, shades, flares and everything in between) and have since spied Alexis in Adidas’ recent campaign, shot by Canadian photographer and Glasshouse mainstay, Petra Collins.

Image: Adidas
Image: Adidas

Strikingly beautiful with plenty of cool nonchalance to boot, Alexis is not easy to miss. But it’s her blonde, curly hair that’s the true crowning glory. Spiraling high and wide, the baby bangs and chin-skimming length set it apart from your average curly ’do. Which is probably why we’re so charmed by it.

With her foot firmly in the modeling industry, Alexis has big fashion plans in the pipeline: “I’d like to start styling and designing clothes because that’s what I live for” she told Urban Outfitters, “I love dressing myself, I love sketching designs, it’s the best. So in the future, I’ll be a stylist and a designer.”

Alexis has already showed off a couple of her own designs on Instagram - including a dreamy knotted silk slip and shirt combo that reminds us of Marques Almeida - and we don’t doubt there’s plenty more to come. She’s also a prime example of a generation of creatives for which Instagram is their global showcase. Not simply just for selfies, Instagram is a tool to make cultural waves - so watch this space for more from Alexis.

Image: Vogue
Image: Vogue
Image: @aalexisjae
Image: @aalexisjae

In the meantime, her hair is proving that ‘come as you are’ is still the name of the game when it comes to hair and beauty. No longer about a one size fits all approach, the model industry is continuing to demonstrate that the quirkiest, most independent faces are those which are making the biggest mark. And Alexis’ bleach-y buzz curls are certainly doing the trick. They’re part Solange, part Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver - with a good twist of punk attitude.

Fellow curly-haired girls can keep their ringlets in tact with Organic Colour Systems’ Keep Curl range. Their bestselling Memory Gel works best applied to damp hair. Leave to dry naturally; finger-twisting curls for extra definition and giving them plenty of Alexis-style bounce and shine. Voila!

So whether you give her pictures a double tap or fully embrace your own curly bob, Alexis Jae is giving January a boost in her own (very sassy) way.

Image: New York Times
Image: New York Times

Words: Lucy Vincent
Cover image: i-D