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murenu:daniele+iango;runway:fairchildarchive(4);simpson:fox;alfalfa,lurch,hellboy:everettcollection;cosette,ram,SnoopDogg,cottoncandy:gettyimages
Stylist Luigi Murenu is the man behind the cool coifs
in this issue’s “The Stone Age.” When he’s not
dreaming up looks for the pages of W, he serves as
John Frieda’s global creative consultant and
Madonna’s longtime hair guru. christina han
What made you realize that you wanted to become
a hairstylist?
When I was a teenager in Sardinia, I used to love
to cut bangs on my friends before we went out to
the clubs. At that age, some people want to express
themselves through how they look, but I opted to
show my personality through other people.
What was your big break?
When I did my first story for Italian Vogue with
Steven Klein and stylist Joe McKenna back in the
late Nineties. Soon after came shoots with Craig
McDean, Richard Avedon, and all those amazing
photographers. The biggest photographers
wanted me, and that’s when I thought, Wow, I
must have done something to attract them!
What has been the most exciting moment in your
career so far?
Working with Avedon for the first time. My friend
James Kaliardos, a makeup artist, suggested that I
do the hair on a shoot they were working on
together. Avedon called me and said, “So I’m
waiting for you to come to talk about the hair.”
Which decade had the best coifs?
The Seventies—from Cher to Faye Dunaway, big
hair to chignons, you had every kind of style.
When you walk down the street, do you want to fix
everyone’s hair?
It’s automatic to me. When someone has an
extreme haircut and it doesn’t suit them, I notice.
But there’s no judgment—I take in their personal-
ity and try to understand why they have that cut.
What do you think is the biggest mistake women
make with their hair?
Not taking care of it. Just using the right
conditioner and styling products can make a
huge difference.
What would you be doing if you weren’t a hairstylist?
Being a chef is appealing. I cook extremely nice
Asian-style crab cakes.
Beauty Insider
Luigi murenu
inspiration
EQUATIONThe fall 2011 runway shows saw plenty of daring beauty
looks.What inspired them? Only those wielding the
brushes know for sure, but here we hazard a guess. c.h.
Cosette from Les
Misérables.
+
A ram.
=
Comme des Garçons’
crinkled coifs.
Alfalfa from
The Little Rascals.
Lurch from The Addams Family.
Jason Wu’s mad Mods.
+ =
+ =
Hellboy Snoop Dogg Viktor & Rolf’s
devilish maidens.
Marge Simpson
+
Cotton candy.
=
Yohji Yamamoto’s colorful
tower of power.