French twist makes glossy comeback as Conner Ives revives timeless glamour at London Fashion Week

It seems the slicked-back bun is out and the chic ‘French twist’ is in. Among the various Noughties nostalgia-inspired beauty looks at London Fashion Week, Conner Ives’s autumn/winter 2026 show stood out for its revival of a classic.

Reworked into a glass-like shine, the French twist was reimagined with sculpted precision among the models, making the updo feel poised for a major comeback.

Led by Claire Grech, lead stylist and Bumble and bumble advocate, the hair direction the show channelled what she described as “glamour through the ages”, blending old Hollywood bobs with Seventies and Eighties bouncy curls and subtle nods to the Nineties.

The French twist was a dominating look backstage (India Bharadwaj/PA)

“The look’s really classic, really chic,” Grech said, “but then we’ve got this kind of snatched moment around the front where it brings it into the modern world.”

That play between past and present was most clearly expressed during the show through the hero style of the sleek French twist.

Defined by a deep side parting positioned closer to the ear and an ultra-gloss finish, the updo felt smart and precise. The twist sat neatly at the back of the head, tightly controlled yet full in shape, creating a silhouette that was innately timeless.

While the structure nodded to vintage elegance, the execution was distinctly modern, with the hair smoothed to a glass-like sheen, with every strand disciplined into place.

The French twist was a feature for most of the models, some adorned with feathers (India Bharadwaj/PA)

The finishing look was lacquered and sculptural. In select looks, feathers were inserted through the centre of the twist – a hair accessory we also saw in the Chet Lo show – punctuating the silhouette with a high-glamour detail that echoed the texture in Ives’s clothing.

The collaboration between Grech and Ives was rooted in shared references.

“Connor is amazing with collaborating. He always brings loads of references to the table. He’s always got quite a clear vision of these little moments he wants to have that stem from the clothing and his design process,” she said.

Mood boards were layered with vintage imagery and behind-the-scenes photographs capturing women mid-movement or “caught in an era”, rather than overt celebrity inspiration.

Alongside the French twist, Grech’s team created big, bouncy blow-dries and short sculpted bobs reminiscent of Twenties flapper cuts. The diversity of finishes reflected Ives’s varied silhouettes. However, it was the twist that felt most commercially primed for life beyond the runway.

The bouncy 1920s bob was also a look for the show (India Bharadwaj/PA)

“I do feel like it’s coming back,” Grech said. “I love the big, bouncy Nineties blow-dry – that Cindy Crawford blowout – but that’s a lot of work.

“Realistically, in everyday life, the French twist is great. You look really done, but actually you can do it quite quickly yourself.”

Despite its immaculate runway execution, Grech stressed the style’s adaptability. While the show versions were slick and controlled, she suggested that in everyday settings the French twist could be worn looser or more textured.

Grech says the look works on all different hair types (India Bharadwaj/PA)

The same technique was applied across different hair types, including Afro hair that had been blown out before twisting, demonstrating the look’s flexibility.

The hairstyle’s clean lines complemented Ives’s richly textured collection of fur coats, embroidery and embellishment.

“There’s always this element of classiness to the woman,” said Grech, “(The Conner Ives woman) is a classy woman. So I feel like the hair really matches that, because it’s just clean, classy.”

If London Fashion Week backstage was any indication, the French twist is poised to become the next big updo for 2026.