get the NYFW look: amika x Evanie Frausto at Sandy Liang F/W 2025
picture this: you’re fresh off the subway, bundled in layers, and your strands are tousled from the city’s rhythm (read: sweaty hat hair). what do you do? own it and strut down the Sandy Liang runway, of course! this New York Fashion Week, amika teamed up with hairstylist Evanie Frausto to bring that effortless energy to the Sandy Liang Fall/Winter 2025 show—giving us the ultimate “she’s literally hot, but also sexy-hot” updo. think: claw clips, high ponies, and hat hair made high fashion. the best part? perfectly imperfect hair isn’t just a fashion show fantasy—it’s a look you can recreate IRL. keep reading to score the backstage styling secrets straight from the source.
for shorter hair: the hat head effect
trend alert: bobs, lobs and pixies were *everywhere* this fashion week. opting for shorter strands doesn’t mean missing out on time in the styling chair and the Sandy Liang show was no exception. backstage, Evanie began by misting model’s hair with the wizard silicone-free detangling primer—dampening, detangling, priming, and protecting. then, it was about embracing what’s already there: working with (not against) natural texture, gently coaxing strands with a comb, and adjusting the parting ever-so-slightly—all in the name of a “real” feel.
once he was happy with the placement (pro tip: don’t force it, let your hair do its thing!), Evanie tucked strands into a wig cap for a flattened, “hat head” effect. the final touch? a few drops of superfruit star lightweight hair styling oil for a hydrated sheen, applied just moments before models hit the snow-sprinkled runway.
for longer hair: the undone updo
longer strands got the ultimate cool-girl treatment—equal parts undone, “flirty,” and totally wearable. flyaways? embraced. frizz? celebrated. claw clips? bring it on. get started with a few more-than-you-think spritzes of headstrong intense hold hairspray right at the roots. this’ll give your hair that second-day feel it needs for a voluminous updo. using just his hands, Evanie pulled hair up towards the crown into a high ponytail before securing it all with an elastic cord.
to up the undone factor, he misted a mascara wand with fluxus touchable hairspray to flick away baby hairs, softening the edges for a lived-in look. some models—depending on their runway look—got the claw-clipped treatment which was as simple as a quick twist and an anchored clip. Evanie then worked superfruit star lightweight hair styling oil into the exposed ends, all the while mouthing to me “this oil is SO good.”
the long-haired take on the “hat hair” inspo? a paper wrap tied headband-style, reinforcing that I-just-removed-my-beanie magic. The result was hair that lives and breathes—it moves, it’s imperfect, it tells a story. and, just like Sandy Liang, it never tries too hard.