PLACES: “It’s almost like a choreography they have with each other.”At PFW, photographer Isabel Spanzel reflects on her first time shooting for hair at Fashion Week, covering Kunio Kohzaki on hair for Kidill
Photography + Words: Isabel Spantzel
Hair: Kunio Kohzaki
Makeup: Kanako Yoshida at LGA Management
Casting: Taka Arakawa, Jose Maria, + Ino Yu for Alter Casting
Styling: Tatsuya Shimada
Garments: Kidill, F/W 25-26, Menswear, ‘ Formal Anarchist’
Interview: Hasadri Freeman
Special Thanks to PFW and the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.
Coming from a fashion photography background, why did you decide to shoot for hair this season? I think it was a natural progression, as I’ve always been drawn to the symbolic significance of hair, even when shooting editorials. I’ve explored this fascination in stories that I’ve shot before, where hair became the central narrative thread. Hair feels alive to me; It breathes, moves, reacts, and creates unforeseen shapes and textures within an image, which I find continually inspiring – There’s a sense of spontaneity that excites me—a freedom to play with its unpredictability. And then there’s its deeper, symbolic side: the way it holds memories, represents strength…so it made perfect sense for me to explore that further during fashion week this season.
What did you discover was different about shooting hair? Do details matter more? Between garments and hairstyles, is one easier to capture in a single image? I think in general, shooting hair meant being much closer to the face—which might seem obvious but that was just a different experience for me. In that sense, my focus narrowed down and I didn’t have to think about capturing, for example, the shoes, or the look as a whole. It felt more focused and directed. But I wouldn’t say that it was easier in general. In a way, when the focus narrows down details start to matter even more—they kind of become everything within the image–so perhaps shooting for hair is a tiny bit harder.
What strikes you about the hair process for session stylists at Fashion Week? Probably the speed at which they work! But even more than that I was fascinated by the way they collaborated. At one point I saw three, maybe even more stylists working on a single models hairpiece, and what struck me was the seamless flow they had amongst each other. It was almost like a choreography. I still don’t fully understand how it works, but its synergy is incredible to watch, especially in a chaotic backstage environment.
Why is it important to cover not only fashion, but hair and beauty at Fashion Week? It fascinates me how they all play together. Fashion, hair, and beauty are not only deeply interconnected but complement each other. Each adds layers of meaning and context, enriching the storytelling aspect of fashion. Covering not only fashion but hair and beauty means capturing the full scope of creativity at Fashion Week—it’s about honouring the collaboration. ▪