#Hairtests is a collection of Palau’s own iPhone photographs, taken from behind-the-scenes of these shows and more. They are straight-forward photographs, with the single aim of capturing the artistry of the hairstyles from Palau, who made his name stlying 90s fashion icons such as Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, and Tatjana Patitz.
His grainy iPhone images are like modern reinterpretations of Piero della Francesca or Fra Filippo Lippi, and their depictions of Renaissance noblemen and women, with their regal domineer and sculpted braids or angular bowl-cuts . As Palau puts it: ‘The images present an artist’s rendering, a visual journal of characters. It’s not about the photograph per se. I simply recorded the results on my phone. I am not a photographer, but just like everyone else in the world, I have this device, like an extension of my hand, which records what is in front of me.’ of any fashion devotee or hair aficionado, enabling you to sneak a backstage look at one of the industry’s most celebrated artists.
‘I’m forever in love with how people can change themselves with their hair,’ says Palau. ‘This is a really exciting time because the boundaries of beauty have really broken down. Everyone is beautiful in their own way. I hope this book captures that.’ §