In case you thought it was just a fleeting TikTok trend, let us assure you—mermaidcore is here to stay. “Wet” looks are nothing new on the runways, but this season’s felt a bit more playful and imaginative than usual, taking inspiration from sea sirens beyond just wet-looking hair.
This was perhaps the most noticeable at Sandy Liang, where the Hans Christian Andersen quote “But a mermaid has no tears, and therefore suffers so much more” was on the designer’s mood board. Models sported crystal “barnacles” on their skin, wore sleek, out-from-the-ocean side parts, and tucked flowers behind their ears (something we can imagine Ariel might do).
At Luar and Jason Wu, stylists played with hair. Luar opted for sculptural, wet-looking updos, while Jason Wu went for swirled, damp-looking strands. “I wanted to create a look that felt like the models just emerged from a shipwreck,” says Celebrity Hair Artist, Jimmy Paul with Tresemmé for Jason Wu.
