Look back over many of the standout hair moments from the last few seasons of fashion weeks and there’s a good chance you’ll be looking at the work of Kiyoko Odo. The matching, supersized pig-tailed wigs, crimped and curled at Junya Watanabe; the wild and painterly styles at Kiko Kostadinov; the baby doll ringlets for Yuhan Wang at Fashion East – all come courtesy of Odo, who uses hair as a vehicle for storytelling.
Born in Shimonoseki, now based in London, the Japanese hairstylist grew up reading Harajuku street-style bible FRUiTS magazine, a formative influence that now runs through all her work. Having skipped the salon and gone straight to assisting aged 19, Odo is fast making a name for herself in the industry, both on the runway and in the pages of magazines. Her highlight over the past year? “Shooting the cover for Dazed’s summer issue, the Vivienne Westwood special. It was such an honour to work with her, she has always been one of my heroes.”
Alex Peters