Alysa Liu, the two-time Olympic gold medalist is, in addition to being a world-class athlete, an absolute fashion baddie and hair god — “alt” or otherwise! Case in point? Liu’s hair for the recent TIME100 Sports Gala by editorial and celebrity hairstylist Sky Kim.
By now everyone’s familiar with Liu’s iconic halo/tree-ring hair color, it’s a shocking signature that I’m sure the rebel will cast off just as soon as she wants, but Kim managed to up the ante even more. The look, an updo that features dreamy side swept bangs, a bun made of interlocking braided and piecey bits in blonde and brunette, is giving a little bit Y2K and a lot of modern POV. Naturally we needed to know everything and got in touch with Kim directly.
Kim says she “wanted to create something that felt both sculptural and delicate.” “Alysa’s dress already had such beautiful structure with the lace, corsetry, and high neckline, so I wanted the hair to echo that level of craftsmanship and complement it,” she adds, noting, “the moodboard pulled from traditional East Asian hair dressing, intricate knotwork and braiding techniques, and modern avant-garde fashion.”
“I was also inspired by the idea of creating texture that felt almost architectural from the back while keeping the front incredibly clean and soft. The dress was so incredible that we really wanted to give it a moment. I loved the contrast between a polished silhouette and these unexpected woven details that reveal themselves as Alysa turned,” Kim shares.
“We kept her face framed with soft bangs and long pieces around the face to balance the complexity in the back but also showcase her fun color! It gave the look a sense of softness while still feeling powerful for the occasion.”
The Tease asked Kim about collaborating with Liu and she had this to say: “One of my favorite things about working with Alysa is that she’s genuinely open to experimenting. She’s someone who isn’t afraid to try something that feels unexpected, which makes the creative process really exciting. Whenever I’m pitching a more editorial concept, I always make sure it still feels authentic to the person wearing it.” She adds, “Katie [Quian] (Liu’s stylist) and I were on the same page creatively from the start, and it turned out Alysa loves surprises and trusted us to really do our thing. Once we landed on the concept, she trusted the process completely. Having that level of collaboration and trust makes it possible to create something that’s memorable while still feeling like a true extension of her personal style. That creative freedom made the whole experience feel incredibly special.”
Read on for a detailed breakdown of how this hairstyle came together, including the exact products Kim used.
Get the Look:
- “I prepped the hair with a lightweight heat protectant and smoothing product before blowing everything out for a polished foundation.
- I created a clean center part with soft curtain bangs, leaving out the front face-framing sections.
- The rest of the hair was gathered into a middle foundation, allowing me to build the shape while keeping the front sleek.
- I started to build on a bun while braiding pieces through and incorporated pieces of braids I sprayed with root touch-up spray to match her color pattern. They had wires in them so I can mold them and start building shape!
- The shape started taking place in an organic, sculptural composition rather than a perfectly symmetrical updo. I wanted it to feel almost like wearable art.
- I intentionally left a few braided ends and textured pieces extending from the design to keep the style from feeling too polished.
- To finish, I refined the silhouette around the face, added shine to the smooth sections, and secured everything with a flexible hairspray by Oribe so the intricate details would hold throughout the evening while still allowing natural movement. I used Chris McMillan’s styling balm and flyaway wand at the end to polish the look.”
If you plan on attempting to recreate this look by Sky Kim, or if you’re inspired to do something else entirely, we want to know about it. Tag @readthetease on Instagram and TikTok so we can see it.
