TUSH: From pop stars to athletes, the hairstyles you create often carry a performance element of their own.
Fernnando Miranda: Indeed! From cut to styling, the hair I tend to design is often performative somehow. I like to create coherent silhouettes that complement facial features, proportionally. I’ve always been obsessed with anatomy, and I like to think of hair as a live extension of the human body, which informs identity and individuality. It goes beyond trends or reflections of the times. When styling hair, I’m all about the refined, timeless and effortless vibes. I feel lucky that I often get to style the shapes I craft, it feels correct. From photography studios to runways and magazines, from live concerts and tennis courts to red carpets, I love placing my work on stages, whichever kind it may be. My people, the ones who believe in my vision, without exception, access their hair in order to express themselves, and communicate, everyday, in their artistic journeys. Refined yes, yet never forced or contrived, It must be effortless. I strongly believe that holds space for one’s essence to come to life.
TUSH: What does “effortless hair” by Fernando look like?
Fernnando: A silhouette that hugs one’s skull shape, both cut and styling wise. That, combined with a timeless expression, whichever it may be long or short, soft or punchy, is a fabulous combination in my eyes. Hydration also. Hydrated hair pretty much has a voice of its own. It’s the fusion of a coherent haircut, freely refined via the right styling, looking touchable and relatable.
TUSH: It’s like the hair equivalent of the no-makeup look – effortless yet intentional.
Fernnando: I grew up in the 1090ies in São Paulo, Brazil, and my mom used to say “Primeiro o dever, depois o prazer’, ‘work first, fun later’. That sense of order and structure stuck with me for life, and I subconsciously apply that to my processes everyday. It’s no different with hair. Just before I style, I love organizing the hair by mildly combing brushing, at times with my hands only. It’s an informative process that guides me on how much I can mold it, how far I may push it by enhancing it with the right products, before it looks unintentional. This intuitive time informs me on how to work with the natural movement. Effortlessness also derives from movement. I love hair that looks touchable. I love watching the hair I create sort of evolve into a more vulnerable state in the performative moment, such as when on a photoshoot, hence why I ensure to apply the right amount of the right products to mostly enhance and not completely erase the natural texture of the hair, preserving a form of their identity. The styling I do is most definitely calculated, taking the brief into consideration. Yet I never neglect the fact that I’m creating for a human being first and foremost, so my main rule is that it must feel as pleasant as it looks. That will certainly evoke the right energy for the hair performance per say.