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“A super romantic, Botticelli-inspired, long, fresh-out-of-the-ocean look,” is how celebrity hairstylist Clayton Hawkins introduces the style he’s creating for Maddie Ziegler today. It involves extensions (pro tip: wash them) and a curling iron to create “perfectly imperfect” waves—i.e. a summer ideal.
The pair estimate that they met when Ziegler was 13 or 14 and Hawkins was working as an assistant. “It’s been so cool to create that bond throughout the years,” says Ziegler, now 19. As Hawkins braids Ziegler’s hair to prep for the extensions, they reflect back on their years of shoots and performances and the many hair successes (plus one laugh-inducing fail) they’ve had.
Hawkins notes he’s been doing hair since he was a kid. He learned techniques by watching Jessica Simpson’s reality show Newlyweds before he eventually went to cosmetology school in his twenties: “It saved my life—I’m so glad I did.”
“The second you put the extensions in, I’m a different human,” Ziegler muses as Hawkins anchors added length onto the finished braids. The dancer and actor is no stranger to this kind of transformation; she’s been wearing wigs since she was 11. “That helped me completely let go of any insecurity I had with different hairstyles,” she says.
Next, Hawkins blends the extensions with root touch-up spray, and gives the added strands a realistic cut with a razor: “If you are using extensions and you’re not washing it first, and then you’re cutting it with scissors—you can’t cut it like you would normal hair,” he explains.
Ziegler explains that typically, her looks have to have an element of practicality as she’s likely dancing or moving around on set. The secret weapon that amps up any style, though? The mini leaf blower Hawkins always has on hand to give Ziegler’s strands that added lift. (“It’s always requested on set,” he says.) And after the addition of face-framing florals, he gets it out so that this style can also have its dreamy hair-in-the-wind moment.
Director: Billie JD Porter
Director Of Photography: Allie Schultz
Editor: Alana McNair
Producer: Naomi Nishi
Director, Creative Development, Vogue: Anna Page Nadin
Makeup: Tonya Brewer
Set Designer: Gina Canavan
Set Designer Assistant: Charlotte Woolsoncroft
Camera Operator: Hannah Getz
1st AC: Tessa Kier
Gaffer: Peter Nile
Audio: Gloria Marie
CCO: Tassia Vieira
Associate Producer: Qieara Lesesne
Production Assistant: Phillip Arliss
Production Assistant: Devin Beckwith
Senior Director, Production Management: Tina Magnuson
Production Manager: Kit Fogarty
Production Manager: Emma Gil
Associate Talent Manager: Phoebe Feinberg
Post-Production Coordinator: Andrea Farr
Post-Production Supervisor: Marco Glinbizzi
VP, Digital Video Programming and Development,Vogue (English Language): Joe Pickard
Director of Content, Vogue: Rahel Gebreyes
