When Harper’s Bazaar noticed voluminous hair was primed to make a bigger-than-life comeback, the magazine’s staff knew just who to call on to conjure sky-scraping tresses for its “The Rise of Big Hair” story in the May 2019 issue: R+Co cofounder Garren. In the feature, Garren surmises that “done” hair—that which requires maximum effort, copious styling product and height-defying volume—demands confidence thanks to its virtual guarantee of attracting eyeballs. 

To illustrate grandiose hair done right, the Harper’s Bazaar team tasked Garren with an outsized job: Recreate the decadence bestowed on tendrils during the reign of Marie Antoinette, who popularized French “poufs” that sometimes reached three feet in height—but put Garren’s tonsorial spin on it. Garren shares how to achieve the massive mane style he created for the story’s shoot.

Hair by Garren
Photography by Michael Avedon

Get the Look
Look 1: “Let Them See Height” A five-foot-tall “pouf” defies gravity.

1. Construct three mesh teardrops for the foundation. Each tear drop should fit on top of one another. 
2. Using multiple wefts, tease and form hair to increase rough texture and dimension. 
3. Wrap the wefts around the base, sew into the foundation’s mesh and spray with OUTER SPACE Flexible Hairspray and VICIOUS Strong Hold Flexible Hairspray for intense hold. Repeat on the second and third teardrop foundations. 
4. Create a braid along the edge of the model’s hair around her entire head. 
5. Place the base teardrop foundation onto the head and anchor it by pinning it into the braid. 
6. Continue stacking the teardrops and pinning together. Top the hair tower with a bow made of hair extensions.