Channelling Studio 54, celebrity hairstylist Owen Gould transformed Suki Waterhouse into a 1970s vixen for the Met Gala, using Swedish extensions from BHBD to achieve the shaggy look
When Suki Waterhouse stepped onto the Metropolitan Museum’s storied staircase in a razor‑sharp Michael Kors tuxedo gown, her backless silhouette was framed by a halo of sun‑kissed layers that grazed her décolletage.
The hair, a tribute to Studio 54 icon Lauren Hutton, was the creation of celebrity hairstylist Owen Gould. “We wanted a shaggy '70s vibe. Her tuxedo gown was elegant and chic so we thought this was the best way to enhance the overall look,” Gould explained the morning after fashion’s biggest night. “As if she’d rolled out of bed after a long night of dancing till the sun came up."
In the weeks leading up to the gala, Gould collated grainy photographs of Hutton, Bianca Jagger and Jerry Hall. "We wanted a bit of a vintage feel so I collected 1970s nightlife photos to get inspired," says Gould. "I love a good reference. The '50s, '60s and '70s are some of my favourite time periods for hair. The glamour of a forgotten era can be a remarkable storytelling tool." And those 1970s references? They supplied that lived‑in luxury needed to offset the gown’s exacting lines.
Length and fullness came courtesy of Swedish BHBD's Seamless Tape‑In Extensions in 6N/11N/9NB Balayage. "This allowed for the perfect mix of a shadowed root beautifully fading to a brighter blonde," says Gould. "The overall effect we wanted to create was a sun kissed lived in blonde." Working from the nape upward, Gould sandwiched micro‑thin wefts and then personalised the cut with scissors and a feather razor so the extensions dissolved into Waterhouse’s own shag.
Photo: Suki Waterhouse (@sukiwaterhouse)
Photo: Owen Gould (@owengould)
Photo: Suki Waterhouse (@sukiwaterhouse)
Touchability was the night’s non‑negotiable. “We kept products minimal so the hair stayed touchable and lived in,” Gould explains, instead relying on the extensions’ built‑in texture. The apparent effortlessness was engineered during a six‑hour window to ensure ample time for unhurried application and photos. "You can never have too much time to get ready for the Met Gala," notes Gould.
Scanning last night’s step‑and‑repeat, he logged two trend he expects to dominate the remainder of awards season: soft, brushed‑out waves and perfectly set, face‑framing wet‑set curls. " I definitely think we’ll see more of that this year," he says.
Gould hopes the finished look leaves onlookers “feeling inspired,” the way a candid of Hutton leaving the club still resonates half a century later. Waterhouse’s verdict? She felt “glamorous and sexy,” exactly as her glam squad had intended – proof that a little disco‑era dishevelment still goes a very long way in 2025.